Network News Panel — One Month Later
"Good Morning USA! (lol) We are now one month into what analysts have begun calling the Gotham Crisis. Tonight's panel will attempt to give you the clearest picture possible of what is happening inside the city and what the federal government's continued policy of containment means for the twelve million people still living there."
"Let's begin with what we know. All bridges connecting the archipelago city to the mainland remain closed under federal emergency order. Military and hero-agency personnel maintain a perimeter around every bridge access point. The sole exception is the lower span of the Aubrey James Bridge, which has been partially reopened to permit aid convoys and food shipments into the city.
"Vehicles and ships entering through that channel are subject to search. Vehicles and ships attempting to leave face a considerably more intensive inspection, including searches for weapons, illicit materials, and gives heroes and military the right to arrest anyone they suspect is a danger to the country."
"The harbor is also under naval blockade," the first analyst said.
"Not entirely true… ships may dock to deliver food and materials. Ships attempting to leave though are boarded and inspected. Gotham is functioning as a one-way city right now. Things go in but very little comes out."
"The question of what goes in, and who receives it once it arrives, is significant," the second analyst added.
"The previous infrastructure responsible for distributing aid within the city has largely either been destroyed and what's left or what's been built has been absorbed into what we are now calling the Combined Families. The Falcone and Maroni organizations and with them all their subordinates tried to destroy each other. In the aftermath however it seems with the death of the Falcone family's previous leadership and some other high ranking members, they appear to be operating from a position of cooperation."
"Can you explain that deeper for viewers who are just joining us or are unaware?"
"Carmine Falcone is dead," the former State official said. "He was killed violently during the final phase of the war in a battle that destroyed many skyscrapers however the one who brought the demon monarch down no one can definitely say... His son and designated heir, Alberto, died on Arkham Island during the breach that occurred at the outbreak of the fighting. The circumstances remain unclear, given how little information has come out of the island's administration.
"That left Sophia Falcone, Carmine's daughter, as the effective head of the family. She and Sal Maroni have made no formal public declaration of partnership, though the halt of fighting and cooperation from known affiliated companies suggests significant coordination between their organizations. Our experts believe a broader agenda may already be taking shape."
"Maroni came out of this war in a stronger position than when he entered it," the security analyst said. "He lost Maroni Tower, which is now a debris field in the financial district. However his territorial footprint, his cash flows, and his control of more satellite organizations, gangs, etc all expanded during and after the fighting. Sophia Falcone's ascension of the Falcone side of the city also happened remarkably smoothly for what should have been a contested succession."
"Almost as if it was planned," the anchor said.
"That conspiracy theory is just stupid, why destroy their city for such a plan?"
After a moment of silence throughout the group they continued.
"Lets get back to the war and the human cost," the anchor said after a moment. "Because I think we have a better estimation of numbers now."
"Eighty thousand," a former State official answered for him.
"Dead or missing, that is the current estimate, and the number will almost certainly rise as we obtain better information. The amount of people displaced or are in areas without power or water is closer to two million, probably more…."
"What about the rest of Gotham? We all know it's a massive city close to twelve million people when all islands are put together…" the anchor said.
"The vast majority of Gotham's population is still trapped inside the city as they unable to leave under the government's current policy."
"Humanitarian organizations are raising significant alarms about what that means over the next three to six months," the security analyst said. "The aid through the Aubrey James Bridge and the harbour is insufficient for a population of this size, and we all know the criminals run the city who knows if people are even getting the aid…"
"There are governors on the other side of that argument," another anchor added.
"Several," the former State official answered. "The governor of Connecticut has been the most vocal. He has pointed out, with some accuracy, that two bridges were destroyed during the conflict, blown up and dropped into the bay and has asked publicly what would prevent the same thing from happening again if the crossings were reopened.
"He has also asked a question that appears to be moving the needle in the polls: what prevents people from Gotham from bringing that level of violence into his state if movement is allowed to resume?"
"We should also bring up the Senate session last week as well."
"It nearly came to blows," the security analyst said. "The senators from Maryland and New York were adamant that reopening the bridges would create a refugee pipeline directly into their states. They argued that they could not absorb that kind of population movement and trying to ascertain who is and isn't dangerous would be near impossible.
"The senators from Maine pushed back hard. Their position was that the humanitarian situation had deteriorated to a point where federal inaction is all but condoning millions to die."
"So the political situation is—"
"The polls show that sixty-five percent of Americans now view Gotham as a lost cause and eighty-five percent believe the city is too dangerous to return to normalcy within any meaningful near-term timeframe."
"Those numbers have made elected officials extremely reluctant to take a position in favor of Gotham's reintegration with the country or offering to take in refugees. No one wants to be responsible for reopening the bridges and mass violence reaches the mainland."
"And the city itself?" the anchor asked. "What does Gotham look like from the inside right now?"
"Its rebuilding," the security analyst said. "But in a very specific way."
"The large corporations that maintained anchor positions in Gotham such as LexCorp, POLAR Industries, Wayne Enterprises, Daggett are withdrawing and are evacuating personnel, removing valuable assets."
"The commercial and real-estate infrastructure those companies are leaving behind is being absorbed by businesses and holding companies connected to the Combined Families. The mob families are becoming the de facto landlords of a city with twelve million tenants."
"That's being allowed to happen?"
"There is significant anger online and among several advocacy organizations over the fact that high-ranking political figures and wealthy individuals are able to leave Gotham through the Gotham Airport provided they pay a fee to the government," the former State official said.
"The Gotham Airport remained largely insulated from the fighting. The families apparently had no interest in disrupting an asset that both needed."
"What about the GCPD?"
"The department has suffered enormous casualties," an analyst said. "Beyond the direct losses during the fighting, there has been significant and ongoing desertion. Our sources within the department indicate that a large percentage of those leaving had already been working for the Mob and have decided to work for them openly now."
"Others are leaving because the picture is bleak, their resources are inadequate and with the city government all but gone there is no clear authority for them to represent. The remaining officers have been left with the growing impression that the situation will continue to deteriorate, regardless of what they do."
"What remains of the department," the security analyst said, "is concentrated in two locations."
"The principal precinct in downtown Gotham has effectively become a fortress. Militarized units are maintaining a perimeter around an area of roughly fifteen blocks, where hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians have gathered. The other significant GCPD presence is on the bridge to Arkham Island, where approximately half of the remaining force has established what amounts to a defensive line."
"Arkham…" the anchor said grimly.
"The world's attention is on the island," the former State official replied. "Arkham Island houses both Blackgate Prison, the largest single prison population on the planet and Arkham Asylum, which contains some of the most dangerous, powerful, and evil individuals alive.
"The island's administrator, Dr. Hugo Strange, has stated that the facilities remain under control. During the war, it was confirmed that the villain Firefly escaped from the facility. Strange has declined to release any further information about the breach, citing security protocols."
"What about the Joker?" A younger member on the panel asked only to be followed by silence.
"His whereabouts remain unknown," the security analyst said, deciding to speak up. "His last confirmed activity was the bombing of the Gallavan Bridge on the second day of the war…"
Wayne Island — [REDACTED]
The news shut off and a chair rolled to another monitor showing a blurry photo of red and yellow, the final battle between Carmine and the individual who killed him, and white eyes under a black cowl narrowed at the image.
"Who are you…"