The Opening of Arkham City [Open]

[Avalikia]

Today is a big day for Gotham City. Though technically Arkham City isn't completely finished, what's left to do really counts as finishing touches. Besides, the logistics of transferring all the prisoners and inmates from both the penitentiary and the asylum means that they're hardly going to be moving all the prisoners in today. After all, they all need to be processed before they're put in, and that takes time. So filling up Arkham City moving them all over will occur in stages - in this first stage they're only transferring over the minimum security prisoners. They're generally harmless enough that they won't need to worry about the workers doing a few finishing touches - the really dangerous ones won't be added in until later. Which is just as well, because it will give everyone the opportunity to get used to their new jobs and duties in a situation where mistakes are less likely to be costly.

Which is all good news for Mayor Sharp. Especially with the extremely popular Commissioner Gordon announcing his candidacy for the next election, he can't afford a disaster. He's pretty popular himself, in spite of everyone's concerns about this project - but that's what they are, concerns. As long as this doesn't turn into an absolute disaster, he's pretty confident that he'll be able to pull off another win. Arkham City will most likely either be his crowning achievement or his ruin. Of course, if it does turn into a disaster he'll be just as quick to try to pin all the blame on someone else as he will be to try to take full credit for any success, but he knows how much that's likely to work.

And that is why the big smile on his face as he finishes up his speech and indicates that Dr. Jeremiah Arkham is to speak next is completely and fully faked. He has complete faith in Dr. Hugo Strange's ability to keep Arkham City running smoothly - for the city council to favor anyone else to lead the project was an unforseen complication and he doesn't like it. Though at least Dr. Strange will still be heavily involved, so he can at least hope that will be enough. He'll definitely be keeping an close of an eye on Arkham City as he's allowed to until its success is assured.

After a flowery and overly long speech praising the workmanship of the facility, overexaggerating the positive benefits it will bring to the city, and overstating his confidence in the staff, he ends by saying, "Now, I'd like to turn the time over to the director of Arkham City for his remarks, and immediately following that we'll have the ribbon cutting ceremony at the main entrance to my immediate left." He makes a gesture to the side, indicating the large, imposing gates that bar the way to Wonder Tower. Of course, compared to the massive walls surrounding the actual prison, the wrought iron gates seem to be purely decorative by contrast - they're probably good enough to keep the general public from wandering into the administration building out of sheer curiosity.

"After that, anyone with a press pass is welcome to follow us to the main processing center, where you will have the opportunity to photograph the first few busloads of prisoners as they are brought in. At that time there will also be a brief opportunity for any questions by the press for Dr. Arkham and myself," he says, briefly outlining the intended schedule for the rest of this event in the hopes that it might actually be followed, "And now, without further ado, Dr. Arkham!" He gestures to the man, then claps as he backs toward his seat in hopes of encouraging the gathered crowd to applaud the other man. While he many not feel like applauding Dr. Arkham himself, he would like to encourage as much enthusiasm in general about this event as possible.

[Jeremiah Arkham - Black Mask]

No one would notice that the stare he gave was void. Vacant eyes took in the form of Mayor Sharp as Jeremiah caressed the cane he casually had resting against a knee. Back and forth and back forth his fingers rubbed. How long would it take the silver head, that of a raven to be polished smooth by nothing more than the touch of his fingers? Who could know? Yet despite his distracted gaze the rest of his expression was nothing if not a sign that he was little haunted by the thoughts in his head. His brow is smooth and unwrinkled save for perhaps the signs of age and stress that against his complexion are all the more distinguishing. As for his mouth, an all too familiar smirk slept there curling the corners and giving the doctor a rakish expression which filled his faith with vitality.

Dr. Arkham is not old, mid-forties with a life that for all he may have worried before was now right on track or viewed with a nonchalance that the man was no longer troubled. He had no need to fake it any longer. Jeremiah, however, is also not young. His true age may have seemed minor, but he had seen things, been through things.

He stared out at the crowd gathered, the flash of camera after camera, and he continued smile. Why listen to the drone of a man who has out-lived his candidacy? The man may put on a pretty face for the reporters, but there was no love lost between them. Jeremiah knew he’d favored Hugo Strange to lead the project. A projected named after him and his entire family. He wanted to promote a man who knows nothing about running an asylum and less about the politics that even go into it. Dr. Strange may be a talented psychologist and scientist—he could taste the acid from just the thought going through his head. He’d never say such a thing. Twisting his arm wouldn’t even work. So Jeremiah found the whole situation completely amusing.

Of course no one in the council would hear of Strange leading the project as director. Luthor can pet and pat himself and grin in the mirror, but he wasn’t the one who bought those stiff-lipped birds. Ah, but speaking of lips, his had to be sealed on that for a bit longer—maybe a while longer.

Jeremiah was brought him his thoughts by the applause. If there was any confusion on his part it didn’t show. He knew exactly where he was going. He came to stand at Mayor Sharp’s side and shook his hand. The gratefulness on his face was mocking and his thoughts all the more vicious.

Be careful where you step: the grave is wide.

“Another applause for Mayor Sharp whose tenacity convinced the board to seek funding for this pivotal project,” Jeremiah gave the man a nod and clapped.

Pivotally useless. Disastrous. Due to utterly fail. Arkham City would soar and then plummet to a fiery death.

Jeremiah didn’t touch on the security of the place in his speech. He didn’t talk of the staff or the benefits. He had no doubt Sharp had sold all of that himself. Instead for the very first time in his life, Jeremiah was honest.

He spoke of the corruption of the older Arkham Asylum, the corruption of the city as a whole. He spoke of deals changing hands and how escape was always imminent in his facility. He’d only covered the holes, but never kept the rain out. Arkham City, he would explain would be a place where the criminals could live a life and he spoke that he hoped it would distract them from the city beyond its walls. He didn’t hold back on the doubts. He did voice his concerns, but he said he trusted Sharp to have thought of everything and be quick on the thinking if problems did arise.

Wouldn’t want your pet to die, after all would you, Sharpie?

Slow, dark laughter filled his mind at the thought and he ended his speech.