While Maxon and Mr. X are meeting on the outskirts of Gotham; Dr. Thompkins is returning home from a long day of work. As she walks through her condo door thinking to herself, I'm glad I was able to save Bruce, tears begin to stream down her face as she drops to the floor, but why did they have to die! She buries her face in her hands, Thomas and Martha gave everything to this God forsaken city but even they weren't above the desperation of the scum here. She raises her head, Please, God, just spare Bruce. As the tears continue to stream down her face she begins to realize that tears aren't going to change things and that she must be strong for Bruce. She wipes her tears away and walks into the kitchen to make herself a pot of coffee, with tears still trickling down her face. As she sets the pot on the coffee burner she turns on her stereo to listen to classical music, her favorite. Suddenly her phone starts to ring and she answers, "Hello?", wiping away her tears.

A female voice on the other end asks, "Did you make it home?"

Leslie responds, "Oh, hey Roberta. I'm home."

Roberta asks with enthusiasm in her voice, "Are you ready for Gotham's Got Talent tonight?"

Leslie responds with disappointment in her voice, "I almost forgot about it."

Roberta says with sheer excitement, "Well so far our boy looks like he's going to make it through this round with ease!"

"Well, that is good to know," Leslie walks towards her room, "I know he'll take home the prize."

"What is wrong Les?" Roberta asks with concern, "You don't sound like your normal self tonight."

"It was a long day at work Robbie," Leslie responds with sadness to her voice, "and I'm tired." As she walks into her room.

"Is it because of what happened to the Waynes?"

"Yes," Leslie's voice begins to tremble as she sits on the foot of her bed, "I don't know what is happening to this city, Robbie."

Robbie responds, "I know how close you were to them."

"It just isn't fair." Leslie's tears begin to trickle down her face as she slams her fist on the bed.

"The night is always darkest before the dawn, Les.", Robbie's voice becomes energetically sympathetic, "Things will get better because they can't remain bad forever."

Leslie nods her head, "You are right." She stands up and walks over to her dresser in the corner of her room, "I'm going to take a shower. I'll call you back after." She slides one of her drawers open and reaches in for some underclothes.

"Okay, Les." Robbie hangs up.

Leslie hangs up and places her phone on her dresser as she searches for a change of clothes. Suddenly a hand covers her mouth as she is thrown face first onto her bed. A man with a muscularly thick build stands above her with a knife to her neck and his knee between her legs. He asks her in a low resounding voice, "How much do you want to get out of this?" As he leans over to lick her neck where he holds his knife.

Frantically Leslie tries to yells, "Hel...!", but the man only presses his knife harder into the side of her neck enough to puncture her skin.

 The man leans in closer to Leslie's ear to whisper, "It goes without saying, ma'am, I'm going to need you to be as quiet as a mouse and listen."

Leslie could smell the cigarette smoke on his breath as he spoke. She knew he was serious, What could he want?, she thought to herself, Did he break in for money, or...?

The man continues to lean over her as he seductively whispers to her, "The only way I'm leaving here is if you are willing to do something for me."

Leslie knew at this point that this man was a professional of some sort sent here for her, "What do you want me to do?"

He smiles revealing his brownish teeth, "I want you to kill someone for me, doc."

Leslie tries to wriggle out of his grasp even though she knows she won't be able to overpower him.

The man presses down with the knife once more cutting her neck a little deeper, "Now I told you to stop doing that." He says forcefully. "If you continue to try and get loose I'll kill you."

Leslie replies defiantly, "Well you're going to kill me anyway, so at least this way..."

He presses the knife and gives it a little twist this time, "Shut up you dumb broad! I'm the one doing the talking. Do you understand? I don't want any responses out of you unless they are to my questions. Other than that all I expect are nods and head shakes." He tightens his jaw as he says through his grit teeth, "Or do you want me to get a little ROUGHER with you?" He smiles and kisses her neck.

Leslie nods with disgust to his words as she grabs her bed sheets tightly waiting for this horrifying ordeal to be over, or for her to wake up from this nightmare.

He smells her hair as he proceeds to kiss her on her neck, "Normally I wouldn't be showing this much restraint, but my boss wanted me to scare you a little." With great restraint he pulls his head away from her neck, "Would you be so kind as to kill Bruce Wayne?"

Leslie's eyes widen with horror at what he had asked, "What!?"

He leans into her ear again as he whispers, "Kill Bruce Wayne. You can do that can't you? I mean you are his doctor after all."

Leslie's heart skips a few beats in dismay as she thinks to herself, How could he ask this of me? How can any human being ask that of another person? Her eyes widen as she gasps for the words to say. She thinks to herself what to tell him but only one answer comes out, the only answer that matter to her in her heart as she tells him, "NO."

The man starts to kiss her on her neck as his free hand twirls her hair, "I didn't hear that."

Leslie knew she had said it loud enough, "I said, NO." With resounding vigor in her voice.

He chuckles, "I was so hoping that you would want to do this the hard way." He smiles as he starts to lick her neck, "Why would you refuse an offer from me?"

Leslie's face begins to cringe, "I took an oath as a doctor to never take a life; only to save them."

He smiles with disbelief, "Doctors do kill people, my dear. I guess they don't kill when asked to do so." He places his hand on her head as he begins to slide his knife into her shirt. There is a sudden gunshot heard from behind them as the man falls over onto the floor in pain grasping at a bloody stump where his left ear used to be. He yells out in pain, "What the FUCK!?"

Leslie turns over and leans upwards to see Phillip standing in the door with a gun in his hands with a silencer attached to the end of the barrel. She lunges off of her bed and huddles next to her dresser in both fear and relief.

Phillip steps forward, "I guess my hunch was right."

The man rolling on the floor momentarily overcomes his pain to try and lung at Phillip. Phillip kicks him in the head as he raised off of the ground. Once he hit the floor Phillip walks over and kicks him again, then he reaches into his inner jacket pocket and pulls out a syringe. Phillip jams the needle into the side of the man's neck and pushes the plunger injecting the man with some kind of liquid. 

Leslie asks nervously, "Did you kill him?"

Phillip smirks as he removes the syringe from the man's neck, "No, I just knocked him out with something a little bit stronger than my kick." He raises up and sits on Leslie's bed.

Leslie asks, "What are you doing here, Phillip?"

Phillip chuckles, "Well I'm not here for the same thing, " he points at the man on the floor, "HE was here for."

Leslie glares at him, "Clearly."

"I came here because I had a hunch." Phillip looks at the man on the floor. "Go ahead and change; also get some clothes together."

Leslie stands up and reaches in her drawer again for clothes as she begins to undress and change into something new. She looks back over her shoulder at Phillip, "No peaking, you perv."

Phillip laughs, "That's something to tell a guy that just saved your life." He kicks the man on the ground. "Don't worry I'm not looking, I have too much respect for you to do that Les."

Leslie smiles as she changes clothes, "Thank you, Phillip."

Phillip nods, "You're family, Les. Family has to count on each other."

Leslie nods, "You're right. Why are you here?"

Phillip clears his throat, "I was looking to buy a condo in the building. I heard there were good units on this side overlooking the bay."

Leslie chuckles, "The units you are talking about are on the East side of the building; this is the Southside."

Phillip's eyes widen, "Oh really?", he nods and shrugs, "Well then you got me. I was tailing you actually."

Leslie's eyes widen, "You were tailing me? Why?" She turns around and heads to her closet to grab her suitcase, then returns to her drawer to gather a few clothes.

Phillip says, "I thought that maybe something like this would happen."

Leslie asks coldly, "You thought I was going to be raped?"

Phillip shakes his head, "That wasn't part of the plan. If you weren't part of the plan to kill my brother and his family, then someone would target you. Most likely when you were vulnerable."

Leslie interjects, "Like coming home."

Phillip nods, "Yes, exactly."

Leslie asks, "How would you know that?"

Phillip smirks, "It is something I would do, however, I wouldn't try to rape someone."

Leslie's eyes widen, "Well I should certainly hope not."

Phillip responds, "The best way to intimidate someone, into doing something you want them to, is to attack them in their home. The one place where they feel the safest and are at their most vulnerable."

Leslie pauses, "Like me tonight."

Phillip nods, "Yes. Do you have enough clothes?" He glances over towards Leslie.

Leslie looks at the clothes in her suitcase and nods, "I believe so. Why do I need clothes?"

Phillip responds sarcastically, "Now you ask."

Leslie glares at him.

Phillip responds, "Jarvis is waiting for you downstairs to take you to Wayne Manor. It is the safest place for you."

Leslie turns in disbelief, "Why there? I could just get a hotel."

Phillip nods, "And risk you being attacked again?", he shakes his head, "I don't think so. You're going to Wayne Manor for now, until I can make sure that both you and Matt are safe."

Leslie glances at Phillip with concern in her eyes, "What do you mean me and Matthew?"

Phillip explains, "The thing is these people seem to be professionals. It would stand to reason that they would want their bases covered. If they came after you they would go after Matt as well, since the two of you are the only ones allowed to see Bruce."

Leslie finishes packing her suitcase, "That makes sense. The best way to kill him and make it look like an accident is to get either Matthew or me to do it." She slams her hands on the suitcase as she closes it, "I would never do something like that! I took an oath to protect lives! I'm sure Matthew wouldn't do it either, even with his other life!"

Phillip shrugs, "I can believe that you wouldn't. Matt is a different creature altogether, but I know you're right. He's done some crazy shit over the years. Never has he once taken a life despite all of that." Phillip stands up, "Are you ready?"

Leslie nods, "Yes." She walks towards her room door and turns around. "You aren't coming?"

Phillip shakes his head as he stands up, "No. Sleeping Beauty here," he points at the man on the floor, "and I have a date. Don't worry you won't be seeing him again."

Leslie nods and walks out of the door.

* * *

The man is sitting unconscious in a chair while in his underwear. The man's hands and feet are bound by steel restraints, his body is restrained by a steel restraint, his head is in a steel torture helmet welded onto the chair. 

Phillip throws a bucket of ice water onto the man as he sat there, "Rise and shine sweetheart!"

The man's head sprang up as he gasps for air, "What the Hell!?"

Phillip sits in a chair in front of the man with a bucket at his side, "Hello there sunshine. Do you know who I am?"

The man shakes his head, "Am I supposed to know who you are?"

Phillip nods his head, "Well considering you were going to have my nephew killed; you might want to do research on the people he's related to."

The man nods his head and smirks, "Oh yeah, you're Phillip Wayne. I gotta say that I'm not impressed. Now, where am I?"

Phillip holds a pair of homemade wire cutters in his hand. They were made with two sharp blades fashioned together as if they were scissors. He leans forward, "We're in a big empty room, one of many that my family has built across the city generations ago. One of my ancestors was superstitious and this is one of those places that he left behind. I used to use these rooms for," Phillip pauses briefly, "well what we're doing now. The thing is I'm going to need you to tell me a few things about yourself."

The man's face stiffens up with stern resolve, "What if I refuse to play along?"

Phillip smiles, "Which hand is your dominant one?"

The man's face becomes contorted and perplexed, "What does that have to do with anything?"

Phillip smirks, "Nothing at all. Just answer the question."

"I'm left-handed."

Phillip shrugs his shoulders and grabs his left hand, "The thing I love about the drug I injected you with is that you're able to feel pain, but you can't move." He raises the wire cutters towards the tip of the man's left index finger, "My brother made that drug. The one I used on you, though, is a failed prototype of the drug he invented because it thins your blood too much and causes excessive blood loss. Unless you tend to the wound quickly. You may want to look away for this." Phillip gasps for a moment, "Oh wait, you can't." He laughs as he cuts the tip of the man's index finger off.

The man screams out in pain, "YOU SON OF A BITCH!!" as blood drips from his wound.

Phillip reaches into the bucket that sits beside him and pulls out a handful of sea salt, then proceeds to rub it on the man's finger. Phillip's face becomes perplexed as he asks, "What is your name anyway?"

The man lets loose a painful sight, "Kurt Louzer."

Phillip smiles, "Well alrighty, Kurt, let us have a real chat."

Kurt asks, "Fine, you sadistic bastard."

With a friendly smile, Phillip tilts his head to the side, "Who hired you to get to Leslie?"

Kurt lets loose a sigh of relief, "It was Falcone." Phillip grabs Kurt's left hand then proceeds to cut the tips off of his middle and ring finger, "WHAT THE FUCK YOU SON OF A BITCH!!" His eyes widening with pain as he cries out, "YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD! YOU HEAR ME!? DEAD!"

"No, I'm actually quite alive." Then Phillip reaches into the bucket and rubs sea salt wear Kurt's fingertips used to be.

"When my boss hears about this...", Kurt's eyes widen as Phillip raises his legs and crosses his legs between Kurt's crotch.

"I'd like to know who that boss is if you don't mind?" Phillip leans back and crosses his arms behind his head.

Kurt lets loose a grumbled sigh, "I told you, Falcone is the one that gave the order to kill your brother and his family."

Phillip shakes his head, "I went to Carmine first. If I believed he was behind this whole thing, then he'd be in that chair right now and not you.", Phillip leans forward, "Now tell me the truth, or you're going to lose more fingertips until all you have left are stumps."

Kurt chuckles, "I told...", Phillip grabs Kurt's pinkie finger, "Wait! Just wait!", Phillip begins to cut at his fingertip with the wire cutters, "It was Lenny The Loaner that hired me."

Phillip raises an eyebrow, "You mean Lenny The Loser?"

Kurt chuckles, "He hates that name. We call him Lenny The Loaner now. He works as an independent loan shark over in Maroni's territory. From time to time Maroni calls on him to do odd jobs."

Phillip leans back in his chair, "So you're telling me that Lenny works for Maroni?"

Kurt sighs, "No, he is completely freelance. The only thing Lenny does for Maroni is pay him for protection and allowing us to do business without interference."

"Do you know who he has going after Matthew Thorne?"

Kurt let's loose a sigh of relief, "No, actually I don't think he's sending anyone after him."

Phillip's face turns to a perplexed look, "Why wouldn't he send someone for Matt?"

"Too many witnesses. Not to mention the security problem."

Phillip nods, "Yeah, I can see that. Where is Lenny hanging his hat nowadays?"

"The Blue Nights. We took it over seven years ago."

Phillip sarcastically says, "That's why he changed his name.", He nods, "I'm going to need you to help me send a message to Lenny."

Kurt's eyes widen as his mouth drops, "What kind of a message?"

Phillip smiles as he leans forward, "Well this is a super-secret message.", he places one hand on Kurt's thigh, "I don't like rapists."

"Wait what are you doing!?", Kurt frantically tries to move his body with no result, "I can tell you more if you want!"

Phillip places his free index finger on his own lips, "Shhh. I'm not going to kill you."

Kurt sighs.

Phillip sadistically smiles, "At least not kill you swiftly."

Kurt's eyes widen, "I answered all of your questions."

"Yes, you did. The thing is though you fucked up." Phillip leans back, "You broke the rules of the streets here in Gotham."

"That doesn't matter. I answered your fucking questions!! Now let me out of here or you'll regret it!"

Phillip laughs, "I'm regretting it already; regretting letting you live this long.", Phillip leans forward grabbing Kurt's pinkie finger, "Don't blink, because blinking only makes it seem more painful."

Only snipping and screams can be heard throughout the room.

* * *

Elsewhere in Gotham Roderick's limousine pulls into a parking garage. Roderick steps of the back of the limo and walks towards the elevator. As he steps into the elevator he thinks to himself, This situation has become much more difficult with Phillip involved in all of this, he sighs to himself, I'm going to have to accelerate my plans before the worse comes to worst. Once the elevator arrives at the top floor Roderick steps out and walks into a grand entryway of an extravagantly decorated condo. It is furnished with lavish decorum and furniture laced with gold trimmings; a home truly deserving of one of Gotham's wealthiest members. 

One of the maids walks up to Roderick and hands him a glass cup, "Good evening, sir." 

Roderick grabs the cup, "Good evening." As he takes a sip from the cup he hands her his jacket.

"Mr. Nathan is in your study."

Roderick turns to her perplexed, "Did he say why he's here?"

She shakes her head, "He said it is about an acquisition." 

Roderick nods, "Okay, thank you.", he waves his hand and she walks away.

She walks towards the kitchen.

Roderick proceeds down the hall towards his study thinking to himself, What the Hell could this boy be thinking at a time like this? Once he arrives at his study he notices that the doors to the study are slightly open. He pushes the doors open, "Hello, Nathan." As he turns around and closes the doors.

Nathan peers out of the window looking out onto the street below. Nathan stands at 5'10 with a muscular build, with brown eyes and brown hair in a Caesar cut, he has a neatly trimmed goatee, with a grey suit and black shoes, with no tie and an opened collar white dress shirt. He turns around to address Roderick, "Hello, Father, how are you?"

Roderick walks over to his desk, which is positioned in the corner of the room between two windows, "I've been better.", He pulls out his chair and sits down, "What brings you here at this time of night?"

Nathan walks over to the desk and takes a seat in one of the chairs that sat opposite of Roderick, "I can't check on my Father?"

Roderick looks sternly at Nathan, "You're here about some kind of acquisition." He places his glass on the desk and leans back in his chair.

Nathan smirks, "I knew she'd tell you that." He sighs, "I don't know if I should run this by you."

Roderick nods, "Mhmm."

Nathan leans back in his chair, "How is Bruce doing?"

Roderick's face becomes sadden with the thought of his grandson, "He's as well as he can be; still not awake yet. Leslie and Matthew are watching over him, for now." He grabs his cup and takes a sip, "Phillip is back in Gotham."

Nathan's eyes widen, "I thought he wasn't supposed to come back to Gotham."

"His brother was killed and his nephew is in the hospital." Roderick places his cup on the desk as he leans back in his chair asking, "Wouldn't you return home after someone attacked and nearly killed your family?"

Nathan nods, "Yeah, you're right. Is it anything we have to worry about?"

Roderick opens a drawer in his desk and pulls out a bottle of Scotch and a glass to pour Nathan a drink then hands it to him, "Why are you here, son?"

Nathan picks up the glass and takes a sip, "Always wanting to get straight to the point." He smirks.

Roderick takes a sip from his cup, "No need in beating around the bush when I don't need to. Haven't I taught you that?"

Nathan nods as he takes a sip of his cup.

Roderick's entire demeanor becomes stern and authoritative, "Now speak, son, you've come here for a reason. What is that reason?"

Nathan sighs and smiles, "I'm here for your blessing, Father."

Roderick raises an eyebrow, "My blessing?  What are we Catholic?"

Nathan chuckles, "Mom was."

Roderick nods.

Nathan takes a sip from his cup as he leans forward, "There's a lucrative business deal that has come up and I need your advice on how to best proceed on it."

Roderick leans back in his chair crossing his arms, "What is it?"

Nathan smiles, "Wayne Industries."

Roderick glares at Nathan so intently it sent a shiver down his spine, "What about Wayne Industries?"

"With Thomas dead Wayne Industries is ripe for a corporate takeover." Nathan leans back in his chair and takes a sip from his cup.

Roderick furiously slams his cup on the desk, "You would take advantage of your sister and brother-in-law's death like this!?"

Nathan takes a deep breath, "When you put it like that." He goes to take a sip from his cup but the glass is empty.

Roderick reaches over to the bottle of Scotch and motions for Nathan to hand him his cup.

Nathan leans forward handing Roderick his cup to be refilled.

 Roderick nods as he refills Nathan's cup, "I don't know whether I should be pissed or impressed by this." He leans back in his chair smiling with enthusiasm. 

Nathan smiles as he leans back, "Well this not the reaction I was expecting." He takes a sip from his cup, "So you'll help me?"

Roderick shrugs, "It depends on your plan of attack."

Nathan smirks, "I have a guy on the inside at Wayne Industries willing to help."

Rodrick smiles and nods, "A coup? That is unoriginal. Do you think this hasn't happened before? You don't think it wasn't attempted before now?"

"I know it has been attempted by others before. This time it is a sure thing." Nathan takes a sip from his cup with a victorious smile on his face.

Roderick crosses his arms and leans back in his chair, "Well I'm listening to what you have to say. I won't guarantee that I will approve of your plan."

Nathan shrugs, "Well I wouldn't expect anything less from the Great Roderick Kane." He places his cup on the desk, "Wayne Industries is going public in a few days. Right now it is all hush-hush and a need to know basis."

Roderick interjects, "You're planning to get insider information on the IPO? That is a very impressive move. Aggressive and subtle at the same time."

Nathan smiles, "It is a lot more than that. Obviously, Thomas made arrangements for people he trusted to be given the first crack at the IPO. The thing is Thomas is dead now and the company is in complete chaos. No one is in charge and my guy can make sure it stays that way until the company goes public in the next couple of days."

Roderick takes a sip from his cup and places his cup back on the desk, "Even with that chaos, Wayne Industries still belongs to the department heads."

"I'm well aware of that. Which is why I have a plan to remove that minor obstacle."

"Capitalizing on the death of your sister like this for profit is not something I thought you would be capable of." Roderick rubs his hand through his hair, "It is both sickening and impressive."

Nathan glares at Roderick intently, "Martha's death has nothing to do with this. Thomas's death is what created this opportunity and I'm taking it. I'm doing this for our family." He places his cup back on the desk and slams his hands on the desk, "The Waynes have stood in our for generations. It is time we take what should have been ours in the first place. Ever since the founding of Gotham, the Seven Families have ruled. Within recent generations, the others have fallen by the wayside. If we have an opportunity to take one of them out we should take it without any hesitation" Nathan picks up his cup and leans backward in his chair taking a sip of his drink.

Roderick sits quietly with his arms folded stroking his mustache, "You sound very adamant about this." He leans forward and picks up his cup and takes a sip, "I'm going to assume that you're going to go ahead with this plan no matter what."

Nathan nods.

"Then I have no other choice in the matter." Roderick places his cup on the desk then proceeds to spin the cup, "You have my blessing."

"Really?"

Roderick nods, "Yes. Even I never had the chance to do something like this. Such a maneuver will make our family truly untouchable. The Elliot family won't attempt to oppose us after the Waynes are taken out of the picture." Roderick smirks, "The only problem in this plan is Phillip."

Nathan laughs, "Phillip is nothing compared to Thomas. He doesn't have the know-how for corporate politics."

Roderick smiles and nods, "True."

Nathan chugs the Scotch in his cup, "I hate to ask this of you, but I'll need your help to make this happen. We can take out the Wayne family as father and son."