Unappreciated by all except you.

Chapter 7: A drowned Fish signals good fortune.

"Nobody knows about this place, right? Nobody?"

"Nobody. Anybody who did is dead. We'll be safe here."

A doomed sentence if ever there was one, as was proved a second later. Now Oswald was far from happy as it was. Sure, he had escaped Maroni but the way things were looking he was destined to either remain a prisoner of Jim and the GCPD or be left to the mercy of Carmine Falcone. Neither of these were very attractive options and were a far cry from what Penguin had originally planned so as far as he was concerned he had every right to be grumpy. His mood only worsened when he caught sight of the girl walking towards them carrying a gun.

"Hello" she said casually, as though she had merely bumped into them on the street "What's up?" Before they could answer her however, the clanging sound of the garage door opening behind them made the company whip round only to find themselves staring open mouthed at none other than Fish Mooney. "I know, I know" she crowed with a satisfied smile "It's astonishing. Sometimes I astonish myself." She was flanked by a gang of people that none of them recognised and it was clear that an attempt to fight their way out would be fruitless. She was the one in control and it was obvious from the way that she was conducting herself that she knew it, Oswald couldn't help but grudgingly respect that confidence. Still, that respect would not help save her. In returning to Gotham Fish had merely put herself back in the firing line, back on the list of people he would have to dispose of if he was going to take his rightful place as the King of Gotham.  The question was, how exactly was he going to do that?

It was this that he pondered as he was tied up alongside Gordon, Falcone and Bullock. Butch was left free and as Penguin watched Fish's face as the two of them were reunited he could tell that this was only going to get worse. Zsasz may be the one who had done the actual brainwashing, on Carmine's orders, but Fish would no doubt hold him responsible for Butch's current state which meant that his chances of receiving a quick death should things go wrong had now been officially extinguished.

After a quick phone call Fish re-joined her prisoners, ready to share the news. "I just made a sweet deal with Maroni" she informed them " He told me I could have all my territories back and all I have to do in return is give him Carmine's head." Taking advantage of her laps in attention Oswald tried to signal to Butch, banking on Zsasz's conditioning on holding long enough for him to use Butch to help him escape. He didn't succeed. "Uh Fish, I need to go and lie down" Butch mumbled in Fish's ear before leaving, looking very much like a man who was struggling with a massive headache.

"What did you do to that poor soul, you sadist?" Fish hissed. "I assure you..." Oswald began but he was silenced instantly. "You will die a slow and painful death on account of Butch" Fish growled, pointing a long pointed nail in his face threateningly before turning her attention to the others "You too Carmine." "You, we'll keep it simple" she told Gordon looking at him with frustration and distaste. "And you" she said to Bullock who stared back nervously "We're cool. Any questions?" Bullock sighed with relief. "How are you going to kill them?" the young girl with the gun who had greeted them asked with a smile. "Ooh, I like this girl" Fish chuckled, putting her arm around her before leading her away. Now all that they could do was wait.

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"Ed, where are you going? Where is Kristen?" Captain Essen yelled in confusion as Edward darted across the room. "Not right now Captain, I'm busy" Ed called back.

"Detective Alvarez" he said, gripping the officer firmly by the arm and pulling him aside "a word?" "Not now Nygma" Alvarez snapped only to find himself being shoved roughly against a near by desk. "I need to know the last known whereabouts of the Penguin" Ed continued seriously. "I don't have time for this" Alvarez grumbled as he attempted to push Edward off him. Then he let out a sharp gasp as a small, blood stained knife was pressed against his throat.