The Iceberg Lounge

[Oswald Cobblepot]

The Penguin reached across the table and shook the man's (men's?) hand. He nodded when addressed and waited for the other man to finish speaking before he answered.

"You may call me Oswald or Penguin. Whichever you prefer. Or both, depending on if you like them both. Which I'm assuming you may."

He gestured around the room. "This is just my humble piece to the city. I hope to give a little entertainment to the masses. Just my way of giving back."

Penguin looked straight at the man. As a courtesy, he has left his umbrella at the end of the booth, standing and resting on the seat. He hoped this wasn't a mistake.

"May I offer you a drink?"

[Katarina Williams]

Katarina turned back to Lavinia as she drank the second glass of bourbon. "You that shy about some guy eying you chest or rather he's the perfect height to your chest?" She had to tease her newest acquaintance as she found it amusing that women who were shy around men still existed today. "I'm only kidding though. So tell me more about yourself. Were ya born here in Gotham or move here?"

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

Harvey glanced around the club once more. "Entertainment to the masses... bread and circuses, hmm?" He smiled suddenly as if sharing a private joke with himself. "Well, it looks like you're doing a good job so far. We both congratulate you."

He nodded "Thank you, yes. Double scotch, please; two of them. One with soda, one straight up."

Harvey leaned back in his seat, appearing to relax a little; the key word being of, course, appearing. "So. Oswald. A little bird told me you're a very welcoming man. A man who offers hospitality to a wide variety of clientele, shall we say. Businessmen from all sectors of commerce."

[Lavinia Howards]

Lavinia eased a little when Oswald walked away but was still appreciative that he gave her an Katarina some free drinks. Never the less, her restlessness soon returned when she heard Katarina's question.

"My mama taught me that any man who you meet that doesn't look you in the eye is only after one thing-and that it's definitely not a friendly conversation," she explained, uncrossing her arms and leaning on the table,"after all the last time a guy looked his first line was 'why don't we play house? You'll be the door and I'll slam ya''. As you can tell we hit it off straight away." She spoke sarcastically, slightly chuckling at the memory.

Self-consciously she glanced down at her cleavage and pulled up the straps of her dress then curved her attention back to Katarina.

"Well I was born in Gotham, lived here all my life," she replied. Technically she wasn't lying but wasn't tell the whole truth either, "what about you?"

[Oswald Cobblepot]

Penguin clapped his hands together, signaling for a midget in a black and white suit to come up to him. Penguin told the small man the drink order, adding a gin for himself and hurried the small freak on his way. Penguin's attention then turned directly back to the freak in front of him.

"Yes, bread and circuses. Cake even. Let them consume." He then reached up to adjust his tie. "I do like to invite certain worthy entrepreneurs into my back room, sometimes. Do a little business. It keeps me in fine suits and my penguins fed. However, I would like for those who are interested in activities other than dancing to enter through the office door instead."

[Katarina Williams]

"It's not necessarily a bad thing either. Just depends on what you look for when you meet a guy." Katarina smirked. "Well he sounds so charming" Saying that part with a sarcastic tone. It reminded her of Christian. "I was born and raised here myself." Her eyes drifted as she thought about her parents. Instead of letting her spot the sadness forming in those hazel orbs she drank the bourbon again depleting the glass.

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

Harvey pressed the tips of his fingers together for a few moments, then reached casually inside his breast pocket and took out the coin, letting it roll smoothly back and forth over the knuckles of his scarred left hand as he continued to watch the Penguin.

"You prefer to operate out of public view. I can understand that. The delicacies of certain business activities are best conducted in private."

He flicked the coin with his thumb and caught it loosely in his right hand.

"I'm a member of a rather... exclusive group of businessmen, Oswald. For our small number, we're very diverse, though I'm sure I don't need to name names. We're planning to meet shortly and we'd like to arrange a venue like your aforementioned back room. You would of course be welcome at the table. Would you like to accommodate us?"

[Oswald Cobblepot]

The Penguin watched Harvey reach into his pocket and his heart almost stopped. I KNEW I shouldn't have left my umbrella out of reach! But the dual-man simply produced a coin. Idle hands, I suppose. He still watched it intently. He'd seen men killed with less. Then the bomb was dropped.

"You want me to host... a get together?" He knew he couldn't say no. They'd kill him and do it anyway. He knew this because that's what he would do.

"Would there be compensation? As perhaps, insurance? I'm sure you're all gentlemen, but you never know what can happen. I would love to provide a table and a place. I just want to still have both of those when the meeting is over, you see."

Inwardly, he ducked. He was afraid that he might have pushed too far on that.

[Lavinia Howards]

"Personally, I'm not too big on one night stands. It's flattering if a guy thinks your pretty but thinking your as easy on getting into bed than the eyes... I find that a tad bit disrespectful," she pursed her lips slightly then took a clean drink of her rum and coke.

Analysing Katarina's reaction she didn't bother on asking her to elaborate-the girl had managed to drink down two shots of whiskey in less than an hour. And to be perfectly honest, she didn't blame her either, everyone had their baggage to bury.

"So do you graze dearest Gotham often?" She asked, eager to break the ice that had frozen over the conversation in a mere few seconds.

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

Harvey lifted his chin, appraising the man opposite.

"A get-together of sorts, yes. Call it a council. Or a convention, if the former is too political- sounding." Harvey glanced down into his palm where the coin rested.

"You'd be paid for your hospitality of course, and you may even find your business profits in the long term though any alliance you forge at the meeting. I've missed the last couple of councils due to the inconvenience of my recent incarceration, but now things have changed at Arkham I intend to take a more hands-on approach to partnerships in my sector of business."

He smiled again, and the effect was not entirely pleasant.

[The Joker]

Joker smacked Olivia's other knee with his cane for good measure. "C'mon, let's get a table, Tartlette."

He grabbed her wrist and dragged her over to the booth next to Harvey's, waving merrily at the man before shoving Olivia at the seat. He plopped down opposite her and drummed his fingers on the table.

"So what brings little miss perfect to a place like this? Finally come down off your high horse?"

[Olivia Hale]

Olivia winced in pain and then sighed as she was dragged along. She glanced into the booth as Joker pulled her past, smiling weakly at Harvey. She practically fell into the booth and then settled herself, glaring daggers at the clown.

"You're annoying, did you know that? I'm not sure how much I appreciate you."

She fought the urge to look over her shoulder at Harvey, choosing instead to converse with Joker. "Am I not allowed to go out? I don't think I was ever on a high horse. I'm too short for that..."

She laughed weakly at her own joke. "What are you doing here? Asserting your dominance over more poor, unsuspecting citizens?"

[Katarina Williams]

"What can I say.. I can never leave this place for a long period of time. It draws me back always." Katarina kept her eyes focused on her empty glass debating about getting another refill. She wasn't entirely sure on becoming completely drunk tonight but then again she didn't have much else planned really on her night out. "How about you? Or do you prefer a city like Metropolis?"

[Lavinia Howards]

"Personally,"make a mental note not to say personally too much,"I find it difficult to leave Gotham because not only was I born here but all of the family live here. Blood and non-blood," The corner of Lavinia's mouth quirked up a little thinking of them, "though vacations are an ace way of getting away from Gotham and all it's...stuff," she aimlessly waved her hand around, hoping Katarina understood what she was insinuating.

"I've never been to Metropolis. But I'd like to live in Russia for a while...once I get a prime paying job. Especially St.Petersburg. Did you know there's a place called the Amber Room that's covered in amber and gold but was lost in World War Two?" She asked, or rather stated, getting a little carried away. Realising this she sheepishly took another sip of her drink.

[Oswald Cobblepot]

The Penguin clapped his hands together. He wasn't that phased by Harvey's odd smile because of his own strange grin. He was still watching the coin slightly.

"Well, then, how could I ever refuse? You'll keep me informed of the date and time so I can set up for you and your guests, of course?"

He wanted to impress them. Harvey was right. The crime bosses would be great contacts to have. Especially in his line of business.

The Penguin glanced around the place. He was a little more relaxed in Harvey's company now. Not completely, of course. The two big brutes were still there. But enough to not have to keep his eyes directly on the man. It seemed there were some more people coming in. The first few hours of his little club's big night seemed to have been going well. The band had come in and set up on stage. It was a nice little jazz band. Not any of that light jazz crap. They were doing a Cab Calloway cover currently. He was happy. There were even a few people out on the dance floor.

The small little man the Penguin had sent out to get drinks came back with a tray on his head. The result was that it looked like a walking table was coming towards them. Penguin reached out and took the drink and handed two of them to Harvey and Two-Face.