Chương 2: The Ally
He needed an ally. Someone who could provide him with resources, information and protection. Someone who had influence in the underworld of Gotham, and who could help him face his enemies. Someone who was loyal, but also disposable.
He found that someone in Oswald Cobblepot, better known as the Penguin. The Penguin was one of the bosses of Gotham's crime, who controlled several illegal businesses, such as casinos, smuggling, extortion and murder. He was a short, fat and deformed man, who wore a monocle, an umbrella and a tailcoat. He had a high-pitched voice and a British accent, which gave him an air of sophistication and elegance, but which also made him a target of mockery and contempt.
The Penguin was one of the few criminals who was not afraid of Batman, because he knew how to hide from the law and how to use his contacts to get out of any situation. He also had a certain admiration for the Dark Knight, because he saw in him a reflection of himself, a man who was rejected by society and who used his intelligence and his resources to assert himself.
John Smith approached the Penguin with a proposal: he offered him political support, in exchange for financial and logistical support. He said he had a plan to make Gotham a better city, a city where good men could prosper, without the interference of heroes and villains. He said he needed the Penguin to carry out this plan, because he was the only one who had the vision and the courage necessary.
The Penguin was intrigued by the offer, and decided to accept it. He saw in John Smith a potential ally, someone who could give him more power and respect, someone who could help him defeat his rivals, such as the Joker, Two-Face and the Riddler. He also saw in John Smith a potential enemy, someone who could betray and eliminate him, someone who could steal his empire.
He did not know that John Smith had a secret power, that allowed him to control his mind. He did not know that John Smith was using this power to manipulate him, to make him believe his lies, to make him obey his orders. He did not know that John Smith was using the Penguin as a pawn, to advance in his chess game, to reach his final goal.
He was John Smith, the future president of the United States. And he had just won his first ally.
"Mr. Cobblepot, I'm John Smith, a councilman of Gotham City. I'm here to make you a proposition that you can't refuse." John Smith said, as he entered the Penguin's office, in the back of his Iceberg Lounge casino.
The Penguin looked at him with curiosity and suspicion. He had heard of John Smith, a young and ambitious politician who had recently won a seat in the city council. He had also heard that John Smith had a reputation for being corrupt, ruthless and cunning. He wondered what he wanted from him.
"And what would that be, Mr. Smith?" The Penguin asked, as he gestured for him to sit down on a leather sofa, in front of a fireplace.
"I want to offer you my political support, Mr. Cobblepot. I want to help you expand your business, protect your interests, and deal with your enemies. I want to make you the most powerful man in Gotham, after me, of course." John Smith said, as he smiled confidently.
The Penguin raised an eyebrow. He was intrigued by John Smith's audacity, but also wary of his intentions. He knew that politics was a dirty game, and that no one offered something for nothing.
"And what do you want in return, Mr. Smith?" The Penguin asked, as he took a sip of his brandy.
"I want your financial and logistical support, Mr. Cobblepot. I want you to fund my campaign, to provide me with information and contacts, and to help me with some… special operations. I want you to be my partner, in a project that will change the face of Gotham, and the world." John Smith said, as he looked into the Penguin's eyes.
The Penguin felt a strange sensation, as if John Smith was penetrating his mind, and influencing his thoughts. He felt a surge of trust and admiration for John Smith, and a desire to join his project. He wondered what kind of project it was, and how it would benefit him.
"And what kind of project is that, Mr. Smith?" The Penguin asked, as he leaned forward, eager to hear more.
"It's a project that will make Gotham a better city, Mr. Cobblepot. A city where good men like us can prosper, without the interference of heroes and villains. A city where we can make our own rules, and enforce them with our own methods. A city where we can be the masters of our own destiny." John Smith said, as he used his power to plant these ideas in the Penguin's mind.
The Penguin felt a wave of excitement and enthusiasm. He liked the sound of John Smith's project, and he wanted to be a part of it. He thought that John Smith was a visionary, a genius, and a leader. He thought that John Smith was his friend, his ally, and his mentor.
He did not know that John Smith was his enemy, his manipulator, and his controller.
He did not know that John Smith was his doom.
"I'm in, Mr. Smith. I'm in." The Penguin said, as he shook John Smith's hand, sealing their alliance.
John Smith smiled, as he felt the Penguin's mind under his control. He had just won his first ally, and he was one step closer to his goal.
He was John Smith, the future president of the United States. And he was just getting started.
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