Axel shot a sneering look at Falcone.
Falcone met his gaze, a slight tilt in his grin tugging at his beard.
"I thought you'd claim the Court of Owls rules this city, but you think Gotham only belongs to Wayne?" Falcone asked, elegantly slicing into his steak. He brought the bloody cut to his mouth as Axel shook his head with dismissive amusement.
"Court of Owls," Axel repeated, tapping the table lightly with one finger. "C'mon, everybody knows the Court isn't some all-powerful puppet master. They're not an individual kingpin or some mystical shadow. They're just the elite families pretending they're untouchable, hiding behind masks and secret meetings. Anyone with power and money calling themselves 'owners of Gotham' is just fooling themselves."
Axel leaned back, eyes narrowing with irritation.
"Take a look at any big city, Metropolis even. There's always a top tier of powerful people trying to run everything from backroom parties and backdoor deals. A few hypocritical banquets and a press release, and suddenly they're 'Gotham's backbone.' But this city isn't Metropolis. This is Gotham."
Axel paused, then chuckled low, almost amused at his own words.
"Look at Wayne's reach. Wayne Electric, Wayne Water, Wayne Security, Wayne Technology Company—these aren't just local businesses. Collectively they form Wayne Enterprises, one of the biggest conglomerates in the world. Wayne Bank, Wayne University, Wayne Hospital… Hell, Wayne influence is everywhere. This is beyond local politics or wealth. This is global infrastructure."
He spread his hands.
"You know what's terrifying? Wayne isn't just rich. Wayne is the system. Wayne is Gotham. It's not about owning streets or corner clubs. Wayne owns the economy, the schools, the hospitals, the transport, the power grid… you name it. Gotham runs on Wayne, and Gotham knows it."
Axel leaned forward, laughing louder until the room felt charged with his wild energy. Falcone watched, eyeing Axel with something like envy in his expression.
"When I was young," Falcone finally admitted, pausing his meal, "I wished I could live like you."
Axel smirked, uncorked his wine, and took a slow sip before reclining into the sofa. Beside him, Selina looked deep into his eyes.
"So you think burning Wayne Tower will strip Wayne's influence from Gotham?" she asked quietly.
Axel shook his head with a crooked grin.
"No, not at all. Wayne Tower is just a building. Wayne's strength isn't in one tower. It's in the foundation of the city itself. When everyone's livelihood, education, health, and paycheck come through the Wayne name, Wayne doesn't owe face to anyone. Instead, the city owes face to Wayne."
He pointed at Falcone.
"Someone like you, Old Man, you've got a crime empire sure, but without Wayne backing the entire wheel of this city, you'd be nothing but another street gang boss. The Wayne name isn't just influence, it's the infrastructure of Gotham."
Axel's tone dipped into something sharper, his words cutting.
"Even if some secret group like the Court of Owls pulls strings, even if they wear masks and hide in shadow, Wayne's tentacles are already in every legal and economic vein of this place. Gotham doesn't revolve around some masked club, or the richest families gathered in secret. It revolves around the Wayne legacy, and that's why destroying Wayne Tower isn't some magic button that resets everything. It's just the first spark in a much bigger fire."
With a sly motion, Axel reached toward Selina's ear, brushing it gently. She flinched, annoyed.
"You handle me like a damn cat toy, Axel," she said with a frown, standing and moving behind him.
Falcone watched quietly for a moment, then chuckled softly.
"You're not wrong, Selina. After thirty years in this city, I've learned one truth. I can control a lot of Gotham's crap, but I've never held its lifelines. Wayne does. Even those so-called secret councils can only toy with the edges. At the core, Wayne's grip is what keeps this city ticking."
He shook his head in acknowledgment.
"Rules and law give them a guise of power. Outside that, they're just rats. And Axel, you… you're the predator that doesn't care about masks or rules or hidden claws. Maybe I should call you a tiger."
Axel grinned wickedly.
"Exactly. The strong don't hide behind masks or pseudonyms. They take the stage. Nobody needs a face covering when they want attention. If people should focus on anything, they should focus on me."
He swept his gaze across the room.
"Falcone, Zsasz, Selina — compare yourself. Do you wear a mask to hide? Do you pretend to be something you're not?" Axel looked toward Selina.
"I do," she snapped, exasperated, "because I'm a thief. Of course I wear a mask."
Her irritation earned a loud laugh from Axel.
Falcone smiled slightly and offered Axel a cigar, cutting it with practiced elegance before speaking again.
"But Axel, you said all that… and you still didn't tell me your real reason. Why are you so determined to strip Wayne's influence from Gotham?"
After a beat, Axel didn't hesitate.
"Go to hell with your secret societies and political bullshit. The real experiment here was never me. You are the experiment, Falcone. Your whole damn family and legacy, that's the real project."
He leaned back, wine in hand, eyes gleaming with certainty.
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