Goodbye free will. Goodbye identity.

[give_me_an_amen]

"People of Gotham, I salute you!" It has been a long time coming, but the Deacon Joseph Blackfire is once again on a podium in Gotham square, masses around him, and being played to televisions and radios across the city. All have heard of how the holy man has cleaned up the streets in a violent yet effective pogrom of the colourful psychopaths that

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Evil Plots Against Evil

[masks_we_wear]

"My, my, for an old man he can give a hell of a speech!" Johnny Sorrow exclaimed as he stood on the roof a ten story building, just a a block or two away from the site of Blackfire's speech, a martini in his hand. Standing to his right, Linda Ramirez, AK-47 in hand, and to his right the recently released Dr. Phosphorus. Behind the three of them stood a small squad of men and women, all decked in armor that would make a Swat officer jealous

Re: Evil Plots Against Evil

[jla_villains]

The mental domination of the masses incites them to bring down all symbols and institutions advertising and promoting free will and independence. The tower block Johnny Sorrow is situated on is an office of the Gotham Gazette, and it finds itself being besieged by rioting civilians, who begin to smash windows and doors, and set fire to the offices.

Re: Evil Plots Against Evil

[masks_we_wear]

If Johnny was bothered by the ransacking below, it didn't show on his faceless mask.

"Anti-life justifies your hate?" Sorrow pondered aloud. "What in hell does that mean? Anti-life? Is that death? Linda, when you were in black ops, did you ever hear of any religious cult emphasizing that concept?"

"No sir, I was not high enough in the chain of command to have access to Waller's database. I do remember reading details of Blackfire's previous uprising, then there was nothing of this anti-life concept." Ramirez looked down at the rioters. "Should we move, sir."

"Not to worry Linda, unless they destabilize the foundations of the building, we'll be fine. Besides, I can teleport us if that unlikely event happens." Johnny pulls out his pocket watch. He then wryly says: "I wander how long it will be before they start blowing stuff up."

Re: Evil Plots Against Evil

[jla_villains]

As if on queue, the ground floor of the Gotham Gazette building explodes in a fireball of magnificent proportions, as Joe Rigger (the former criminal once known as Firebug), emerges from the flames with his skin charred and his grin wide. This is all he's ever wanted.

He types into a pager with his burning fingers, sending a message to the Deacon, and then collapses to the ground in a smoldering heap.

With Brother Garfield Lynns out of the equation, Blackfire had needed another arsonist. Unfortunately Brother Rigger hadn't been quite so adept with his fuses.

Immortal Rage

[jla_undead]

A glass of blood crashes into the television set, its owner seething upon his throne.

"Damnable mortal swine! We had this city in our hands!" The Monk yelled in a mixture of rage and indignation. "Fine, he wants a war, a war he shall have!"

He turns to his attendent.

"Contact Hush and Prometheus, tell them the time to kill this wretch is now! Gather as many of the brethen as you can, tonight we feast on Blackfire and his flock!"

Re: Immortal Rage

[jla_undead]

The Monk rises from his throne, giving no indication that Hush had surprised. He had to admit, he was impressed that a human could move so quietly.

"Like a rat fleeing a sinking ship," The monk utters darkly at Prometheus' disappearance. "Then again, given the deteriorating situation i don't suppose I can blame he too much.

"A wise plan," The Monk then glares at the destroyed television. "How in the Infinite Pits is he doing this?"

[aflyinggrayson]

Dick rubs his eyes tiredly as he watches Blackfire whip his audience into a frenzy, then he puts down his empty milk glass beside an equally empty cookie plate and stands up from the Cave's bank of monitors. "Shit. So much for a few hours off," he sighs, drawing the cowl over his head.

He dislikes having to kick the ass of an old guy.

[jla_villains]

A message comes through on the secure line Victor Fries had helped set up. "Batman, this is Freeze. If you are watching what I am watching then you may be feeling the feelings I am feeling, and-"

The line goes dead. There's a crackling, and then the voice starts again. "-Anti-life justifies my hatred, Batman. For you, for Gotham, for all of those people who caused Nora's death and led to my life as it is now. Anti-"

The line goes quite again. "What happened? Batman? Are you there?"

[aflyinggrayson]

Dick is sitting in the Batmobile, checking everything out (because really, the thing is awesome but one big WMD on wheels, so being safe is Job 1) when Freeze's message comes over. He listens to the message, then to the silence, and sighs softly in relief when Freeze's voice comes back. "I'm here. Line might not be secure. You safe?"

[jla_villains]

"I.. No. Batman, I am on a roof in downtown, not far from where Blackfire made his speech. People are going insane, even those who weren't here..." He trails off.

"It's like Sodom and Gomorrah down there, Batman. Gotham has finally given in to its devils." Freeze plugs a cold cartridge into his rifle, and stops himself before just blasting the entire crowd to put them out of their deviant misery.

[eddie_nygma]

"Kidnapping me and attempting to indoctrinate me is one thing, but third billing? Behind Crane? I don't think so."

Nygma takes up his cellular phone. He's heard that line about anti-life before, and it seems to have strange significance. The way Blackfire says it, it's like a poem or memorized line.

There has to be an angle. He dials the phone.

"Query, get my car over here. There are people I need to see."

[jla_extras]

"Anti-life justifies my hate, Brother Edward." Query's voice is monotone, and the way she addresses Nygma? Not normal.

"We must help the Deacon clean and purify Gotham. I must go now." The click of a receiver and Query is gone.

[eddie_nygma]

The Riddler is not amused as he sets the phone down.

"I told her that too much television would rot her brain. Well, I suppose I can get the car myself."

He takes up his trademark cane, and his hat, and makes for the door, on his way to do what he can.

[mistahjay]

The Joker smiles. This is something of a default state of being for the Harlequin of Hate, but regardless there he is, standing in front of the Riddler's door as though he were a caller mustering up the courage to say hello.

"Eddie." Joker moves like a panther, his foot in the door and an arm around the Riddler's shoulders before the man can finish digesting his appearance. He's not here for a fight, after all. "We need...to talk, Eddie."

[scream_and_cry]

It really is typical - every time there's a disaster in Gotham, something results in the lunatics getting free of the asylum. The cause of this breakout is more mundane than the usual earthquakes, mass riots or meta-powers however. The guards who had just been watching television just got up, and opened the doors. All of the staff are now locked in padded cells, and all of the criminally insane are on the run