Eviction Notice

 Part One

Black Mask: (I.M) Life is full of exit plans. Once you realise it, it's all about planning how to use them to your advantage. 

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Driver: I don't know what to tell ya. I'm just the driver. Everything's there in the invoice. That's all of it.

Skinner Co Foreman: Dammit, that's twice now! ... I should have you go tell him. 

Skinner Co Foreman: Look umm ... It's happened again. That's the second week in a row the shipments have been coming up short. What do you want me to do? 

Black Mask: The problem has been taken care of

Skinner Co Employer: In ya go.

Black Mask: (I.M) Take something from me, be prepared to lose something in return. That's how it's done. That's how it's always been done. From the moment I arrived, I was born into an uncaring world. My parents couldn't bother to notice me. Not until the nurse entered the room. They paid off the staff to keep "the accident" private -- to make the medical report disappear. That's what money will get you: an open door to leave without any charges filed. But money can't erase the damage or the pain. Not that it didn't try. I already hated my family. But I grew to hate the Waynes as well. My self-absorbed parents would go to any event Thomas and Martha Wayne attended. They cared more about their social status than their own son. 

The Sionis Steel Mill had been in our family for generations. It was responsible for building much of Gotham and even Bludhaven. But that was about to come to an end. Long-standing contracts had been outbid, work outsourced to other countries, and the unions were in their fifth month of a prolonged strike. I was groomed to take over a family business on the verge of collapse. They would have noticed this earlier, had they been more involved rather than playing dress-up. Instead, they blamed me for the company's problems. But I got what I wanted. Finally, my parents had noticed me. In their eyes, I was no longer fit to take over. They removed me from the company. I was no more used to them. The feeling was mutual.

With my name removed from the family trust, I was left with nothing. The final insult came when Bruce Wayne purchased this Sionis Factory, saving it from collapse. Thomas and Martha's own son had everything I was supposed to have ... wealth and ownership. Ending their lives was the beginning of my quest to destroy everything they loved. Everything that wasn't me. First, I needed an identity. I started by carving a mask out of my father's coffin. Since they loved the theatre so much,I enjoyed the irony of wearing Janus masks to perform these crimes. It only made sense to attack the opening night gala at the Gotham Theatre District. It was an event sponsored by Bruce Wayne. 

In the media, they dubbed us "The False Face Society." Most of our attacks focused on businesses related to Wayne Industries ... including the Sionis Steel Mill.

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Black Mask:  Gar, ready to get your burn on? How's it coming outside? ... Lynns! Are you there? Answer me dammit!!

Black Mask: (IM) Our swath of destruction across Gotham didn't go unnoticed. It was only a matter of time before he caught up to us.

Batman: Roman ... Hold on! Give me your hand! 

Black Mask: Oh, I'll do more than that. 

Batman: No! 

Black Mask: Yaaargh!!!

Black Mask: (I.M) It seemed fitting that it would end this way. I was prepared to go out in a blaze of glory. I haven't planned on being saved. But you know what they say about making plans. God laughs. That was the first time I faced him. Not the last either. In this city, you always expect it'll be the Bat who brings you down. But operate in Gotham long enough and it will suprise you. Just when you think it's all about him, it is. But it's also so much more. That first meeting with Batman taught me a valuable lesson: never get into any situation without knowing a way out. Always give yourself an exit strategy. As long as you keep one thing in mind -- one person's exit can be another person's entrance. 

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Part 2

Black Mask: (I.M) For months, all anyone had seen of Arkham City was outside its walls. The ribbon cutting. The construction. Even the traffic delays if you were stupid enough to be caught on this side of town. But now, I have the "privilege" of seeing things up close, from the inside. And after all the media buildup ... I'm not impressed.

Tyger Guard: Get a load of this one. Fresh meat.

Black Mask: What did you call me?

Tyger Guard #2: He's got a mouth. Shut up and keep moving!

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Black Mask: (I.M) Not impressed at all. I remind myself that my situation is temporary at best. I might be a prisoner for the moment -- It doesn't mean I have to dress the part. And unlike the others who will join me in here ... I actually know where I need to go.

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Joker Goon: HEY! 

Joker Goon #2: That's right. Run, you punk! 

Harley Quinn: Little early fer Halloween don'tcha think, Skull Face? But you're just in time for snacks. Isn't that right, boys?

Joker: Aww, leave the nice man alone, Bud & Lou. He's in enough trouble as it is since he's trespassing on our property.

Black Mask: Your property?! This factory belongs to my family. It belongs to me! 

Joker: Hate to be the one to break it to ya, chief. But you've been evicted. Oops! That's the party gun, Harl. Be a dear and hand me the eviction gun.

Harley Quinn: Sic 'em, babies!! Get mommy the skull and you can have the bones.

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Black Mask: (I.M) Barely inside the city and I've already been threatened by that Clown and his girltoy. And someone ought to shoot those filthy mutts.

Penguin Goon: Hey! Psst ... over here.

Black Mask: What do you --

Penguin Goon #2: Get 'im boys.

Black Mask: Mmrllph! 

Penguin Goon: You got an appointment with the boss. 

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The Penguin: Those up there were shipped in from the Ivory Coast. They say the round eyes represent alertness and anger. The straight nose, an unwillingness to retreat. 

Black Mask: So what?

The Penguin: I thought you of all people would appreciate what I 'ave on display. 'Course, I wouldn't mind adding yours to my collection.

Black Mask: It's not for sale. 

The Penguin: Who said anything about buying it? 

Black Mask: Then how would you like a matching eyepiece? I'll provide the bottle. 

The Penguin: Haw! I like your style. It's actually why I brought you 'ere. I 'eard you 'ad a little spat with the Clown. Not very pleasant, is 'e?

Black Mask: He's a dead man. 

The Penguin: Actually, I'd like to 'elp with that. I provide you with the means. Guns and bombs and whatnot. And you go blow up ol' smiley.

Black Mask: What do you get out of it?

The Penguin: Peace of mind. As a result of 'is mind being left in pieces. 

Black Mask: And what do I get out of this ... partnership?

The Penguin: You get to leave without paying the museum admission. If you catch my drift. Right. This way then.

Black Mask: (I.M) Everything I need, I carry out of there. Under their watchful eye. After all this time, to end up here. Well ... It wouldn't be hard. There's enough explosives to take out the Clown and the Mill. To finish all sorts of unfinished business. But some things are best left buried. Like the past. Especially when an opportunity presents itself. Working in the Mill, I picked up a few useful things working around metal. Like how to spot weak points. In their rush to assemble Arkham City, they didn't reinforce all their walls. They probably thought no one would notice. A habit I'm all too familiar with. Opportunity knocks. Or explodes, in this case. Providing a new means of escape. An exit.

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Part 3

Black Mask: (IM) Second opportunities aren't to be wasted. You learn that in life and in Arkham City. Not everyone gets a free pass out of there, so I aim to make the most of it. To hit those that were responsible for me being there. Any excuse to get the old gang back together. 

Black Mask: You're all here for a little payback. And it wouldn't hurt to make some scratch in the process. Tonight we'll get both. You ready to light things up, Gar? I need you to seek out all of Hugo Strange's old haunts and make 'em warm for me.

Firefly: Just like old times.

Black Mask: The rest of us are going to hit Tyger. I've mapped out their supply routes. They make regular shipments to Arkham City on a weekly basis. It doesn't matter that they're moving, because it's now ours. So let's go get it.

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Tyger #3: Will ya get around this guy? 

Tyger #4: There's no room on that side. What the Hell --?

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Gotham Trainyard

False Facer: That's the last one of it. 

False Facer #2:Where's Lynns? He's not here yet.

Black Mask: We can't wait for him. Load up ... We got what we came for. Time to ditch Gotham until this Arkham City mess blows over.

Robin: Next stop ... pain. Arrival time ... Now!

Nightwing: You've been waiting all day to say that, haven't you? 

Robin: Over there. Black Mask!

Black Mask: So long, Gotham. Good riddance ... You couldn't let me leave without saying goodbye? 

Batman: Something like that.

Black Mask: Then here's one for the road. What the --? Not again. You'll never take me back! NOOO -- 

Tyger #5: Muzzle him.

Tyger #6: Cabin is empty. We're ready to come up with him.

Nightwing: Guess he didn't have his train ticket. 

Batman: He has another ticket now ... Arkham City. 

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Black Mask: (IM) Only twenty-four hours to process me back in this time. They're getting more efficient. Well, good for them.

Black Mask: You fools! You can't contain me. I'll just find a way out again. It's what I'm good at ... exit strategies.

Tyger #7: Stun him!

Black Mask: ... You'll ... die for this ... 

Tyger #8: Leave him. We've got the rich boy coming through. 

Black Mask: (IM) I've gone about this all wrong, haven't I? No more exits. Why leave, when I've got every reason to stay? It's not every day you get locked up with Bruce Wayne.