Penguin walked outside and had a feeling of being watched as his phone rang. He raised his phone to his ear and answered gruffly, "Yeah, what's wrong now?"

"Boss! Boss, something big is going down. Our guy at the airport says heavy hitters started showing up in Gotham one after another. Constantine Drakon, Cheshire, David Cain, Lady Vic, Lady Shiva, Merlyn, Deadshot. It's not just them either, he said it looked like there was some kind of mercenary convention in town!" There was a pause and then he continued, "Boss, is one of the families looking to start a war?"

Penguin nearly dropped his phone before replying, "Listen to me quickly, have all of our guys... Everyone who answers his phone, we need to move to our Pittsburg backup location, don't pack, just go! The Joker provoked the wrong guy last night and it's pulling all of us down with him." After the Penguin clicked off the call his phone rang again.

Sal Maroni's voice was shaking as he asked over the phone, "Cobblepot, you fucking freak, is it you? Are you the one who did this?"

Penguin got a sick feeling in his gut, "Did what?"

"My guys, all of my top guys. They started disappearing this morning one by one. It's like someone has a list and is crossing names off it one by one."

Penguin suddenly got a beep indicating he had another call coming in, "Sal, give me a second, I got another call."

He clicked the button to answer and a screaming Carmine Falcone was on the line, "You motherfucker! You fucking piece of shit, I know it's you! You want a war, well we are going to war!"

"Carmine? What the hell are you talking about, it's not me... It's Wayne! It's fucking Bruce Wayne! Joker went after all those high society pricks last night and that fucking Bruce Wayne declared war on all of us." The Penguin wiped his forehead with his handkerchief using a shaking hand.

"Does that prick Maroni know? He said it was you!"

"I was just talking to him when you called, look I was just at the Wayne building, the old Gotham Families, they are all in on it. Wayne said we had until sundown to get out of his town." Penguin heard a beep again and then said, "Spread the word Carmine, Wayne is whacking all of us if we don't leave by sundown!"

As soon as he clicked over it was one of Sal Maroni's men, "They just got Sal, I think I am the last guy left Penguin, I want a truce, I'll join alright! Let me bring the last of the Maroni family with me."

Penguin was going to answer when his driver walked up and said, "Boss! Boss, it's bad, it's fucking bad! Our guys are being hit. Jerry just called, he said someone knew where and when to hit us... I don't think we have of our... Shit boss, you have a dot on your head!"

Penguin looked up as if he would see it just as the bullet crashed through his skull.

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"They are calling it terrifying Tuesday. A rash of gruesome murders has rocked Gotham City's halls of power. The Gotham City Police Department issued this statement earlier this evening..." The attractive woman then looked camera right as the image of Police Commissioner Gordon walking up to a podium with the city's seal on it.

Gordon tapped the microphone and then stated, "Starting this morning at 7 A.M. a string of related homicides started in all areas of the city. Suspected members of Gotham's underworld were assassinated one by one. At this time, there are no persons of interest, no leads on who is behind the killings."

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The attractive woman returned to the shot, "When asked by reporters Police Commissioner Gordon stated that at this time, it did not appear to be a gang war." The woman then looked into the camera and said, "In other news, Wayne Enterprises announced today a new project called Gotham Renewal that will lead to a city-wide infrastructure and redevelopment plan very shortly. Wayne Enterprises CEO Lucius Fox stated that they will be raising employee wages by 25% across the board for employees living here in the city as part of the plan. Wayne Enterprises currently employs nearly 500 thousand people in the Gotham metropolitan area. Well, from all of us at the Channel 9 action news team, I'm Summer Gleeson thank you for letting us be a part of your day. Good evening."

Alfred clicked off the TV and stared at Wayne with an unreadable look, "Master Bruce... The gang killings, was it you?"

Wayne looked Alfred in the eyes and then said, "Gotham City will be undergoing some remarkable changes in the coming days, Alfred. The days of mob bosses acting like movie stars in the city have come to an end."

Alfred looked disappointed as he spoke softly, "What happened to your vow not to kill?"

Wayne took a deep breath and then looked at Alfred sadly, "Alfred, I thought I could create enough fear in the mob using the persona of the bat, but two years of punching criminals have only led to stronger mob bosses. Deeper corruption. A Gotham City where even its wealthiest citizens live in constant fear. When I was eight, I vowed I would spend my entire life at war with criminals, only I wasn't treating it as a war. Instead, I was acting as an unpaid agent of the Justice system. That ended today."

Alfred shook his head, "How many will have to die before you are appeased?"

Wayne shook his head and then placed a hand on Alfred's shoulder, "Alfred, I will protect this city. The city my Wayne family founded but I am done pulling my punches. Yes, I played god today. I acted as judge, jury, and executioner. I wish I could say that it was a one-time event. I wish I could swear to you on my parent's souls that I won't ever have to take a life again. We just don't live in a world where that is possible. Going forward, Gotham City needs me to be a civic leader. A role I have neglected for far too long. As part of that duty, I am going to treat my war as a war. No more punching crime, from now on they send one of mine to the hospital I'll send one of theirs to the morgue."

Alfred frowned, "Did you just quote Sean Connery from the movie the Untouchables?"

"Oh, they have that here? I don't think it was a direct quote, but yeah." Wayne smiled at Alfred and then said, "Alfred, things are going to get better. Gotham is rising. The other families are on board for the Gotham Renewal plan. Within a year, I project that Gotham City will shine brighter than even Metropolis across the bay."

Alfred looked out the window and then sighed, "Master Bruce, it seems they need your other persona." He motioned toward the window with his head. "The signal you left them has been lit."

Wayne followed Alfred's eyes and looked out the window seeing the bat signal. Wayne nodded his head, "I'm pretty sure that this will be Gordon looking for help with today's matter."

Alfred shook his head, "What would Batman do if you weren't involved in this, Master Bruce?"

Wayne smiled, "He'd figure out who was behind it, then punch the mastermind and deliver him to the police along with the evidence of course."

Alfred looked sternly at Wayne, "I had thought you had finally lost all grasp of right and wrong, but this is much more terrifying to me. You know and yet you..."

Wayne shook a finger at Alfred, "Right and wrong are decided by the victor. Today's monster is often tomorrow's hero. Good and evil are not as black and white as they appear in fiction."

Alfred sighed, "I just don't want to see you become a tyrant Master Bruce, I don't want to see you become a man just like the men you are at war against."

"Alfred, you know as well as any man that the peaceful world we live in is only peaceful because men take up arms to defend it." Wayne looked at Alfred and then with a serious face said, "Imagine you looked at this world through the lens of a movie, saw it like it was fiction. Saw the hero fight the same men over and over. These men never backed down only escalating the severity of their attacks until everyone that the hero loves is hurt or killed. What would you do if you suddenly found yourself living that hero's life?"

Alfred frowned and then answered, "I'd probably kill those men before they hurt anyone else. Bruce, but we don't live in a fictional world, this is reality and you just can't kill everyone you suspect might be a criminal. That would make you the criminal."

Wayne nodded and patted Alfred on the shoulder, "I'll go meet with Jim Gordon, things will be alright Alfred."