Mob Council (Open to all Mob members and Rogues)

[The Joker]

Joker's tongue darted out to briefly wet his lips. He placed one hand on the back of Gambol's chair and the other on the table in front of him, leaning forward to get in the man's face.

"I uh, I'd really appreciate it if you moved your fat ass. See, I bet you're sitting there because you think you're better than the rest of us and are entitled to sit there. Well guess what, you're not. You're just a two-bit criminal who got lucky. Now, you're going to move because I uh...I like being the center of attention. I'm going to sit there."

He straightened as Gambol's men approached him and opened his coat to show it being lined with explosives. He idly pulled at one of the strings to detonate. "Still gonna take my seat like a dumbfuck or are ya gonna move so we can get this party hoppin'?"

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

A gasp went up from the crowd as Joker opened his coat to show the explosives. Even Harvey jumped. One of Rupert Thorne's advisers jumped up from his seat, backing away from the table. Recovering himself, Harvey casually drew a gun from his inside pocket and waved him back to his chair. The adviser complied, throwing a look of pure hate at Harvey as he did so.

They were fake, thought Harvey. They had to be fake. Not even Joker was crazy enough to load his coat with real live grenades.

He hoped.

A muscle hopped in Gambol's jaw, but he eventually stood and moved over to the vacant seat next to Harvey.

"You have some seriously fucked up friends, Dent. He's even crazier than you are. Either one of you."

[The Joker]

Joker smiled wistfully at the panic he caused. Apparently people didn't expect a man dressed as a clown to enter a room with a jacket full of explosives.

Now that he thought about it, he did suppose that it probably wasn't very normal. Oh well.

He sat in Gambol's now vacant chair and leaned back casually, taking in the expressions of all the people staring at him in mild horror. "So ah, where were we? Oh right, Batman." The name was said with a hint of awe and reverence. "He's got style."

[Suzume]

Suzume was not sure what to make of the clown. He was excellent at getting his way and getting attention, but had no real grace or subtlety. She decided she needed to talk to him. Perhaps they could learn from each other.

Once he revealed his grenade lined jacket, she quickly vetoed that idea. Talking to the clown would probably just give her a headache. She'd steer clear of his territory until her hold on Gotham was strong enough to withstand the clown's rather...unique way of doing things.

She fanned herself and watched curiously. This would most definitely be a fruitful meeting.

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

Harvey breathed a little easier when Joker settled into the chair.

"My concern is what he's doing, and why. He hasn't tried to take on any of us so far... aside from putting the best assassin on the eastern seaboard in jail that is. What is the Bat planning, that's what I really want to know."

[James Carrero]

James had been already sat when the Joker had walked in and James smirked at Gambol. Carrero knew that if he'd been in Gambol's situation, he would've moved ASAP. But then again, James wasn't one to say no to people in clown make up with scars... He'd much prefer to not be in a fight while here, thanks. Or at least, not while inside... Outside, fine, but not inside. They might hit their heads (or another part of their body) on the furniture...

Once Joker was seated, James turned his attention to Dent. He didn't care much for the Bat, considering Carrero didn't see that much harm in him. He was probably just a police officer gone nuts, but Dent seemed... Worried? That was enough to plant something like caution into Carrero's mind and he watched everyone else silently, though picking a little at his murky green tie.

While watching everyone, Carrero ran both hands through his hair in a somewhat desperate attempt to get it out of his face, where it currently hang, being annoy to Carrero. He then looked from Joker to Harvey and back again... Maybe it would be good to get this... Man, Carrero supposed, on his side... Certainly couldn't hurt much...

[Oswald Cobblepot]

Penguin smiled at Harvey and tipped his hat. "Thank you for gracing me with this wonderful opportunity." As Harvey started making the motions of beginning the meeting, Oswald sat down next to Suzume.

"I'm glad you liked them. I wouldn't want you to feel anything less than comfortable. You're one of my favorite clients." He ducked as she swung her gift around. He was used to crazy people by now. Speaking of which....

The Joker made an entrance. Not a particularly welcome one, judging by everyone's expressions. Penguin raised an eyebrow to one of his henchman and the bodyguard stood waiting. Penguin felt that the Joker would probably dispense of the man, if he tried to stop whatever he was going to do. But it was good to show that he would at least make attempts to stop the madman from taking over his backroom.

Then the Joker revealed the inside of his jacket. The Penguin definitely would not stand for that. After he sat down, Oswald threw a disgusted glance at the clown. Would he dare try and blow up his pride and joy? Fuck the rest of this lot, this was HIS business. He'd have to talk to the idiot. Maybe bribe him with a flame-thrower or something.

He turned his attention back to the topic at hand.

"So, who is he? What does he do? Is he just some masked vigilante? What is the real threat posed by him? Maybe he just got lucky once. Maybe he can be bribed."

[The Joker]

Joker snorted at Oswald's questions. "He didn't just get lucky, Cobblypot. The man's good. He's a vigilante with a suit that provides enough protection to withstand blows from a crowbar and he has lots of neat little toys."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and clasping his hands as he looked at the odd man. "He was able to take down both Two-Face and myself with the kind of speed and efficiency that most people think are just rumors. At our last meeting he called himself Vengeance, and I believe him. He's someone we'll have to watch."

He cracked his knuckles. "He wants to clean up Gotham, I believe. We'll have to stop him. But, no one is to kill him." Dark eyes swept across the room, challenging the others for an argument. "He is just too much fun."

[Oswald Cobblepot]

"You don't want the man who is the biggest threat to our lives and businesses put down? Seems like you're asking a lot. But he's not the only one with toys around here."

Oswald sat back. He hadn't gotten a chance to meet this Batman yet and there was very little information out there for him to have found out. He knew that the man had accomplices, of sorts. Young men, mostly. He wondered briefly of illicit affairs and blackmail. Who was he though and why was it so hard to find out.

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

Harvey nodded at Joker's appraisal of Batman.

"And not only us. Like I said, Deadshot's in a maximum security jail because of him. He's doing what Comissioner Gordon only dreams about. There hasn't been anyone as effective in the justice system of Gotham since - well, me."

Harvey mused for a moment. "I don't want him dead either. He interests me. Anyway, nature will take its course. He's an idealist, you can't bribe him, but he won't last. He doesn't know what he's getting himself into with this city."

[Lavinia Howards]

Hearing Harvey's offer, Lavinia smiled politely but had to decline. "Unfortunately we won't be able to attend. The ball sounds ace and all - it's just Christmas is quite a prodigious deal with us to spend with our family." She spoke with as much courtesy as possible. Offending a mob boss was the last thing on her list - in fact it wasn't even on her list.

She couldn't help but grin at Suzume, who was satisfied with her gift. "No problem."

Taking off her coat, she settled down in a chair, leaving an empty seat next to her for Logan. She failed to notice Joker's entrance, her attention too taken by the fact there was a real Degas piece hanging on the wall. It took her a few minutes to break away from admiring the picture but once the Bat was mentioned, the conversation suddenly took a curious turn that couldn't be missed.

"So if we're not going to do anything about him...enlighten me on why we're all here?" She asked, knotting her eyebrows together in confusion.