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Post by Oswald Cobblepot - The Penguin on Feb 14, 2016 11:36:52 GMT -5
The Iceburg lounge was quiet. It was early so the evening rush had not arrived yet but even that was not what it once was with the changes in Gotham causing a lot of businesses in the area to move out before it was too late, Oswald seemed to be stubbornly holding on despite the declining numbers. Even the back lounge, kept solely for the degenerates of Gotham to drink in comfort without worry about the general public seeing them and calling the police, was quiet but then rumour had it Penguin's temper was on the edge lately, a lot of people saw that as a very good reason to steer clear.
Oswald sat in the public area of the lounge, tucked away in the back of the lounge, on the upper floor in a booth near the gambling tables where the truly addicted played their money away all day. Oswald was not indulging in the games personally, though he wasn't opposed to particularly when the games were his and he was still winning every time someone lost. Today however Oswald was waiting.
Oswald was sat with a laptop working while he waited, a little bit of last minute research combined with organizing other projects Cobblepot never seemed to stop working lately, his face was becoming scarce on the public scene because of it but there was so much to do and he had to keep ahead of things or risk getting left behind.
The staff watching the front door had specific instructions to watch out for Lex Luthor and direct him up to Oswald. From trying to spy on the man to having a meeting with him, Oswald was unsure how the meeting would go but he wasn't exactly dreading the prospect.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2016 12:58:51 GMT -5
There were forms to be maintained, of course, and Lex Luthor understood the power of the script, the power of the appropriate forms. He’d learned that when he was just a child from Boss Moxie and watching his father Lionel Luthor attempting to reclaim any sense of power or autonomy after his fall from grace. His father had been pathetic, but watching Moxie from the shadows of a broken home, behind the rotted wood and the twisted wallpaper had taught Lex quite a bit. These lessons were reinforced when a young Lex Luthor, hiding in the streets and alleys of the Suicide Slum from his father’s beatings saw the mean bastard “Ugly” Mannheim working with the thugs and street rats to try to get his own gang started up.
Respect was a currency, almost as important as actual currency in such a situation. It had been easy for Luthor in Metropolis, though, he’d known the neighborhoods, he’d been able to know the names, see the interplay and the forces at work, and even in the more rough and tumble days when the Suicide Slums made Crime Alley look like an amusement park, there’d been a certain stability in the run of organized crime. The Bosses of Metropolis liked profit more than they liked war, and they liked people to be respectful and profitable. A burden on the local population, but in some ways a worthwhile one, Boss Moxie was able to maintain more order in the Slums than the Metropolis Police Department, at least until his wars with Vincent Edge, wars that made the Suicide Slums into the horrors that shaped Lex Luthor‘s earliest understandings of the real world, and eventually pushed him into the clear path of decisions that led to the death of his father Lionel, and the foundation of LexCorp.
There were niceties to be followed, there were forms to display. It’s why Lex Luthor was driven in in the reinforced limousine to the front of the Iceberg Lounge, accompanied by a single black SUV with a few men inside. They wouldn't be coming in with him to the meeting, but they'd be there at the door. This, was a sign of respect, that he saw Cobblepot as an equal, the men with him were little more than a formality and he'd given them a bonus to gamble away in the Casino while they waited. If it had come to the worst, Luthor wouldn't need them to protect him, but again, there were forms to be followed, and LexCorp Security. . . the LexCorps as they called themselves. Gauche, but part of the espirit d'corps . . . were competent and professional and unobtrusive, part of the image, not enough to dominate or to send a message to Penguin in his own domain, but enough to show that Luthor took the meeting seriously and was a man of influence himself.
Several of them were Gotham natives, or natives of the Suicide Slums, specially hired for the city, debriefed and vetted as thoroughly as possible. These were the subtle details that drove multinational empires and Luthor considered each of them, down to the way the security men were dressed, the car they drove and how the approach was handled. They would follow the script, this was a meeting between equals as a measure of respect but not dominance or threat. They'd posture, they'd size eachother up, they'd drink and get to know the people, they'd exchange business information with job offers going in both directions. More organized crime style than paramilitary, although the LexCorps were more than capable of the latter, this was not about security. But again, part of establishing a working relationship.
Luthor had been here, not that long ago with Marc, proclaimed it an archetype of the Gotham Experience. That was before the multimillion dollar spending spree that left Marc Dahlmane one of the primary restaurateurs in Gotham City, and Lex Luthor with a horrible hangover that required him to write up a new block grant to Dr. McGee at STAR Labs to establish a secondary research group for more efficient rehydration modules. From what Luthor understood research on that was progressing quite well, so score another one for a night of drunken debauchery at the Iceberg Lounge. LexCorp maintained an arrangement with Dr. McGee should she ever try to sell her Hangover cure, but she seemed prepared to keep the product generic. No bother, LexCorp still had first rights for production and distribution, which was profitable in its own way.
Mercy Graves, an amazonian beauty all muscle and competence opened the door for Luthor. She was dressed in those tight nylons and that pencil skirt and jacket that despite the seeming constriction, could allow her to move like an olympian should she put her mind to it. A loyal and trusted ally, perhaps even a friend, Luthor thought back to when they first met and she had a knife to his throat. How things had changed. He smiled and said “Bring the car around when I call, I’ll be fine on my own. Mr. Cobblepot is a businessman, and I don’t see any complications. You’ll know if I need you.” The men exited the SUV, moving towards the front, standing near Luthor's car.
He stepped out of the car and looked at the exterior of the building for a second, just a second, before striding into the Lounge, case in hand. It had poor business as of late, which was understandable, considering what was to come. Arkham City, what a mess that was. Luthor had been undergoing similar problems with Dini Plaza, at first rented out as temporary headquarters for LexCorp Gotham, and then purchased outright as plans came forward about Arkham City, he’d gotten in ahead of the city and had refused to sell back to them at deflated prices. At first there were threats, then the imminent domain challenge, which was granted allowing Dini Plaza to be ceded to the city, followed by the initiation of the federal investigation, which led to the return of the property to Luthor. It had been safely closed now, unprofitable, windows boarded, the homeless had settled into the lobby and the plaza itself while construction crews sought to secure the site forthcoming the Arkham City project.
The subway terminal had already safely been blocked off, blocking the Dini Plaza Exit from the rest of the city, and what had been a very confident investment in a piece of Gotham City history had very quickly become an almost worthless lot of land with an old run down plaza of buildings atop it. A projected loss of not quite 700 million dollars, although even that was a steal considering the $1.8 Billion dollar price tag originally associated with the landmark. A significant loss for LexCorp which would have caused stock prices to reel if LexCorp had been publicly traded on the stock market.
The Iceberg Lounge itself was starting to feel the pinch too it appeared, and Lex wouldn’t be surprised if the lounge became a more run down wreck once the walls came up. Still, there in the midst of it was Oswald Cobblepot, irritable, nasty and hunched over a computer, but still keen. Trying to keep abreast of developments, that keen mind considering options and trying to figure out how to remain on top. Pity he hadn’t realized earlier how stacked the deck was against him before he even started playing. It was stacked against Lex too, mind you, but that was normal as far as Lex was concerned: the world never played fair and Lex never saw a reason to let something as pedantic as fate, luck or a conspiracy of entrenched interests be anything to define his future on.
It’s one of the reasons he was here today, honestly, that and the fact that Cobblepot had gone to such trouble to try to set up this meeting, sending that lovely little messenger to get his attention, outside of normal channels such as calling a secretary. Luthor was actually delighted by the audacity of it, the cleverness of how well he tried to keep abreast and part of the game. Cobblepot was a man who wouldn’t let a little thing like getting beaten by an unknown force be anything to actually stop him. No, he’d be the sort of man to know that something outside of his control had come into the scene, and do whatever it took to try to maintain relevance, competence and control. In many ways, he was the sanest of the major players left in Gotham: a city that saw insanity as some sort of superpowered advantage. Cobblepot understood that eccentricity was a key to success in Gotham, but he also understood that sanity had its advantages. Luthor appreciated that, and frankly should have had this meeting as soon as he’d come into Gotham, a horrible oversight that he hoped to correct today with an apology and a gift. Something he’d denied his visitor, but would grant to her employer as an offer of respect and friendship.
Cobblepot's man approached Luthor and stared at him, another approached with a gun in his wasteband with another in the distance staring carefully. The other bouncer sat behind a bar, shotgun just out of view. The men sized eachother up, and Luthor was unperturbed, he knew this game and it was part of the form to follow. Part of the script. Luthor nodded and said “I believe I’m expected. I don’t think I need to introduce myself.” He looked at his men and said "Stay downstairs. I'll be going up alone." He opened his coat slightly, to make it clear he had no weapons on him, although, of course, Luthor was never disarmed, although Cobblepot nor his men would have any desire to push the matter, or any real capacity to do so if they chose to actually search him.
The first man, large and domineering, Penguin's spy, looked at the second, and then nodded. The second man backed away and continued to watch the door as Luthor was brought back to the sanctum of the Penguin. Polite, quick, efficient. LexCorp Security were let in according to whatever protocols they tended to, and they started to look awkward and stiff for a moment, before drinks would be brought out, purchased and then bets made. It'd start with a complaint, then a talk about the weather or the game, one of the seconds would buy a drink for the bar. They'd settle in well enough in the way that low grade thugs tended to. This was, again, about appearances and it wouldn't do to have friction between the staff. The men had been briefed, and they understood their mission. By the time they left there'd be some personal contacts set up.
Lex Luthor approached confidently and smiled, waiting to be recognized, at the proper time, with the proper respect to a man who was master of his domain, Luthor nodded his head and then said “Mr. Cobblepot, I thank you for your hospitality, and I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me. I know how valuable your time is, and I hope we can come to an equitable arrangement today, and perhaps the beginning of a lasting and profitable relationship.”
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Post by Oswald Cobblepot - The Penguin on Mar 17, 2016 17:53:52 GMT -5
Business was all about following the proper order of things, it was a complex game of moves and counter moves which few but the truly experienced seemed to be able to follow. Oswald certainly found few who could follow anything but the basics in Gotham but he had a feeling Lex would be an ample match given the man's success and formidable reputation. He could have shut the meeting away, had it in one of the private rooms in the back of the club but instead he chose to sit in public, in full view, the very setting of the meeting was a play, a show of his comfort, confidence in his surroundings and control over the heart of his empire yet also a concession to appear more friendly and open in acknowledgement that the meeting may go smoother when Oswald doesn't have the option to have someone quietly shot. At least it's harder to get away with it in public but then if there was ever a place Oswald could make such a bold move it was in the middle of the lounge.
Oswald was born in to this stuff. His family was old money, granted his father was not the businessman that Lex is and after he died Oswald's mother managed to squander all that money away but even if he was not well liked Oswald had been to the best schools, taken the best courses, had the best opportunities for experience open up before him and then he fought with every trick he could find and crossed every line to keep the family mansion and to get it all back. When the legal methods weren't enough he found other more effective ways and one way or another Oswald rebuilt the fortune he should have inherited then added to it. Gotham was not so different to Metropolis in some ways, the gangs, the mob bosses, the order out of chaos. Oswald had worked his way through the gangs to be one of the top players in the underworld, he knew everyone, everyone knew him and respect was demanded whether they wanted to provide it or not.
A quick message from Oswald's security team detailed the arrival of Lex's and his entourage over the earpiece Cobblepot nearly always wore these days. Oswald's men also received the message and took their places ready, Lex was greeted by a chirpy looking woman on the front desk who immediately began to lead the way "Of course Mr Luthor, right this way" No introductions necessary and indeed he was not searched for that would be practically rude and largely pointless when Oswald was surrounded by his own men. Lex was not exactly known for being suicidal so Cobblepot didn't expect he'd do anything so foolish as mount an attack, though his men were of course armed just in case and backup was always to be found in the private areas of the club.
Calmly Oswald finished up what he was currently working on while Lex was directed inside, finally closing the laptop while his guest was halfway up the stairs. Standing as Lex got closer a hand was extended to greet his guest as Oswald politely tipped his hat "Mr Luthor. I am equally grateful for the opportunity to meet. With your recent apparent interest in the corporate world of Gotham it is somewhat of an unfortunate oversight that we had not spoken earlier. Conquer the high-rises of Metropolis and looking to take on a new challenge or simply a change of scenery?" Oswald was friendly, he smiled, his tone was lighthearted and he sounded interested purely in seeing how Lex was fairing in a different city, he was also giving no indication of just how much he had nosed in to Luthor's business but given he had a member of staff break in to the man's office it was probably a lot. Moments after Oswald was seated again drinks were brought to the table, a scotch for Oswald and whatever was currently stored on Oswald's system as Lex's preferred drink.
Oswald's staff meanwhile were mostly formal at first, they were working and expected to act a certain way but a few of them seemed extra chatty off the bat and handled the invitations to join in the gambling, at first glance not appearing particularly smart but it was the quieter ones who seemed to be paying to most attention while they provided the distraction. The guards predominantly came in a 'Thug in a suit' variety and for the most part seemed genuinely pleased to talk to others in the business once the conversation awkwardly started even if they knew there might be a time in the future when they would meet on less friendly terms. The waitresses were a contractually obliged level of flirty that suited the fairly revealing uniform, they were considerably more friendly and a free round of wine was brought out with the option to order more drinks left open.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2016 17:46:32 GMT -5
He smiled as he put his hands together as he approached Cobblepot, and then a firm handshake with the businessman, respectful equals, a delightful marriage of convenience. "Mr. Cobblepot, I agree, it has been a grievous oversight that we have not had the opportunity to meet earlier. I must confess, I'd intended to set up this meeting earlier, but . . . you understand how packed a schedule can become. I'm happy that you were willing to send an invitation through your messenger." Ah, the attempted robbery. It's funny how Luthor maintained the nicety regarding Cobblepot sending a shapeshifter to infiltrate his office and attempt to steal technology, frankly he seemed to be treating the whole thing as an amusing invitation, perhaps a sign of weakness? Or perhaps he was amused by the audacity of it, the way Luthor was acting and from what Cobblepot's people were telling him, it was more likely the latter. He honestly seemed delighted by the prospect of this meeting, as if he were having . . . fun? It wasn't disrespectful, but the body language was odd. Luthor cut a formidable figure, he'd kept himself in extremely good shape, partly because of that odd perfectionist philosophy of his, partly because he enjoyed the intimidation factor of being in top physical condition. His body language loomed, like a beast, but he seemed barely able to contain excitement. In most videos of him, he tended to appear almost distracted, languid, as if his mind were in a million places at once.
But then again Cobblepot had film of him in a more informal mode, drinking in this very club with that Restauraunter, Mark Dahlmane. Luthor had bankrolled Dahlmane to the tune of multiple millions of dollars, elevating the man in one night to one of the top restaurateurs in Gotham City, apparently as a drunken whim. Luthor was a complicated man, and at times he appeared to
"But to be totally honest with you, I came here for a little of both. Gotham is an interesting city, and very different from Metropolis, one I would have ignored if not for the urging of my Chief Operations Officer, who discussed the rebuilding potential in Gotham City, especially as an old industrial hub. There's something to be said for starting again, to try something new in a new place. There's a different set of challenges in Gotham, but then again in the end the rules of human behavior are universal."
Luthor noted the Burbon, served neat, a good vintage. This was indeed a courtship, although far from Luthor's first. He'd had a similar meal with Bruno Mannheim once, although that was different. They'd grown up together and there was history there. Still, the laws of human behavior could be universal. Despite what Dr. Crane had said, people were not necessarily ruled by their fears. Indeed, Luthor found often that they were ruled by their desires, a desire for profit, for stability, for growth, for a brighter tomorrow, and Luthor knew that there was much to offer, especially to the man in front of him.
"To business." He lifted his glass. "And a mutually beneficial partnership."
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Post by Oswald Cobblepot - The Penguin on May 30, 2016 4:56:24 GMT -5
Oswald merely smiles at Lex's words, he'd taken the break in of his office and Cobblepot's attempt to have his systems hacked very well and Oswald wasn't going to question it, Lex clearly wished for it to be an opportunity and if Oswald couldn't immediately steal his secrets making a deal was almost as good "Of course, there is always something that is demanding of time, to fit in all the desired tasks is a challenge for even the best and sometimes even then it is impossible. I'm certain your work keeps you busier than most CEOs, particularly those who only stop by their offices occasionally to look busy" He chuckles, his mind immediately assigning that jab about lazy CEOs to Bruce Wayne who always seemed to have all the time in the world for socialising provided you were female and pretty.
People frequently underestimated Cobblepot based mostly on his appearance. He was not tall, he didn't look particularly strong though years of training with the threat of the Bat gang in mind meant he was more stocky than he once was but the round belly remained. Still Cobblepot was seen as a weird thing to be laughed at by those who didn't know better. Oswald was quick to educate people on the matter, he was not so quick to judge others by looks alone. While it was their first meeting he knew enough about Lex to be certain that he was seeing the attempted espionage how he wanted to see it, there was no chance that he believed an invitation had been Oswald's intention but clearly he had wanted the invitation so he had invented one for himself. Oswald had not rejected the idea so clearly he was open to the meeting, it was of course preferable to having to sooth Lex's anger if he had taken offence. It was nothing personal of course, just business.
Oswald raises his scotch in return with a polite nod "To business" to repeats, sipping from his drink before he continues "There is nothing quite like home for doing business but for a challenge one must look elsewhere" The Cobblepots had a strong connection to Gotham just like the Luthors and Metropolis "Though the challenge of Gotham has recently increased and I hear that your property within the city is to be tied up in this mess, a situation I sympathise with" While Oswald has been preoccupied with the lounge it had not stopped him acquiring a list of every other building included in the Arkham City plans.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2016 23:54:55 GMT -5
The "invitation" that Lex had accepted was a message, but whether the message was clearly received or not, well that was the million dollar question wasn't it? Would Luthor's kindness and diplomacy be seen as a sign of weakness? That's what this meeting would ascertain. Cobblepot lived in a world where not responding with a thorough and overwhelming response to any violation meant supplication. The only reason one didn't respond with violence in the world of organized crime was that one was incapable of it. Lex Luthor had not responded with violence, but then again he was a CEO. A legitimate businessman, constrained by a legal system. Wasn't he? That was the real question. There were rumors, of course, than when someone like Lex Luthor wanted someone gone, they just disappeared, no questions, no trace, no loose ends. Perhaps once one reached the top of the game in criminal enterprise, it no longer became criminal. That was the secret to operation in organized crime, as Cobblepot would well be aware. Always cut in the right people for their share, consolidate and arrange appropriate business, make yourself indispensable and suddenly inconvenient truths just disappeared in favor of the convenient lie.
Most organized criminals bought police and councilmen and mayors. . . Lex Luthor bought Senators and Presidential Administrations. The only difference was a matter of scale. The difference between an organized crime and an organized society was competition and power. An organized syndicate that demanded of its followers for protection, took from the labor of those in its neighborhoods, offering organization, power, services, structure? The syndicates were governments where there were no governments, and criminals when they had to compete with the powers that be. It was hardly a criticism, the difference between the mobster and the executive and the politician was just a question of scale. The Penguin was likely a better ruler than the Queen of Biyalia, and certainly a more compassionate ruler than the God King of Khandaq.
"You'd be surprised what CEOs can get into, but then again we both know that titles are rarely an indication of power. That belongs to the man who holds the office. Men of strong vision will always have power even when alone and without title." He smiled at the jab to Bruce Wayne, he'd had his own run ins with the "Prince of Gotham" and so far wasn't particularly impressed with the man, although he had his own reasons for that. Luthor didn't underestimate Cobblepot, though. He assumed the man was intelligent, cunning and independent. The only question that would come from this meeting is whether or not he overestimated the man.
"Well, the property values of the Dini Plaza acquisition has taken a plunge from its normal market value, but then again. . . I'll be honest, I don't regret the purchase at all. A successful businessman always sees opportunity where others see defeat. I may not be able to liquify my holdings in Arkham City, but I'd argue that it has the possibility to become an extremely valuable property. It's all about perspective and application. Much like this property here, I'd imagine that you don't feel as if it will become less valuable just for its location and what's to come of it. If I know you, you've already got a plan for leveraging this holding into something . . . very valuable indeed."
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Post by Oswald Cobblepot - The Penguin on Jun 29, 2016 16:40:46 GMT -5
Businessmen like them have a very different definition of the word legitimate. The important thing though was that everyone else thought they were playing by the rules of the law, even if their rules were actually their own.
"True men of vision rarely stay without title for long, though it can be said that their best work is done un-credited under the title of others. Who would say a King is truly all powerful for instance when he must so rely on advisement?" Oswald replied as he reclaimed his drink, swirling his scotch slightly as he danced around his words and their meaning.
From an outside perspective it would seem like Oswald, most commonly known for owning a club, should not be as high on the corporate ladder as he is. He owns other companies but research is required to find even a small fraction of them and most of the easily found ones are mostly legal shipping and restaurant businesses. Research and development, construction, chemical manufacturers, weapons, drugs, smuggling, Oswald had a dozen fronts for everything and they barely seemed to have anything to do with him, they brought him no glory to further his name yet he could invite himself to dinner with senators if he so desired. Oswald's power could not be marked by accountants, it was in the deals he made and the information he harboured. A deal with the Penguin was almost as good as a deal with the devil himself.
Oswald smiled when Lex said he didn't regret buying his site in Gotham. Oswald was enjoying the way he thought, finally here was someone he could agree with "My thoughts exactly. Arkham City has potential to be an untapped resource with the most concentrated selection of the determined and the desperate" He reached for his laptop as he talked and with one hand un-clipped the screen from the keyboard so he could lay it flat on the table, his gloves tapping just the right spots and providing the right electrical signature to unlock it "All one need do is understand this new city" he continued speaking as his fingers almost idly flicked over the screen pulling up a map of the exact plans for the wall along with how much was completed "It's strengths and weaknesses" he flicked from a very detailed analysis of the make up of the walls and then to the people involved both those making the giant prison and the criminals who were going to be filling it "All you need do then is prepare for the right moment to collect on your investment"
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