After leaving Wayne Group, Axel drove his flashy Lexus back to the Iceberg Lounge.
As he passed under the Sky Rail where Diana had once appeared, he deliberately stopped the car and stared up for a few seconds. Too bad there was nothing there — no sign of her, not even a trace of a breeze under a skirt.
Axel wasn't bothered. After all, Diana chased him, not the other way around. And once someone like that decides to find you, she eventually will.
With that in mind, Axel parked in front of the club. He casually tossed his keys to a Buddy who was volunteering to park his car, patted the guy's shoulder, and smiled.
"You're fucking lucky, Buddy. This car is yours now! But seriously, change the damn license plate, or the original owner might knock on your door in the middle of the night."
With that, Axel shook off the guy and walked into the club.
Behind him, dozens of Gang members stared at the stunned lucky Buddy, mouths hanging open.
"God, this car must be at least a hundred thousand Dollars, and he just gave it to you!"
"Pay up tonight, Buddy, drinks are on you!"
"I'll pay, I'll pay! Thanks to my Wraith Brother for the car! But damn, we can't afford this for everyone here — just our table, let me settle!"
The gang roared with laughter and excitement, circling the entrance and hyping each other up. Nobody loved Axel more than they did in that moment.
Under Falcone's rule, they hadn't made too little money, but it sure wasn't city‑white‑collar level. If they wanted real cash, they had to take life‑threatening risks — and not all of them were built for that. Some of these guys had stuck it out four years just for something like this: a massive windfall.
Axel walked through the cheers toward Minus Forty‑Four Degrees, grinning like he owned the world.
In his office, Oswald was on the sofa, wrapped up in a phone call.
Seeing Axel, Oswald stood quickly and motioned toward the boss chair, then sat back down as he finished the call.
Axel didn't interrupt. He lounged in the boss chair, pulled out a cigar, prepped and lit it with style, and waited.
About three minutes later, Oswald finally approached.
"Axel," he began, sounding helpless, "your plan to buy a nuclear bomb was way too rushed, and you agreed to pay cash. This is… well, honestly, if I try I can gather it, but after this cash is spent, expanding our East and Burnley district operations will be a nightmare."
Oswald threw his hands up — like he literally had none left.
"The cash circulating in Burnley has all been taken by Carmine, and I just took over East. It'll take at least a week or two to sort the finances there. And that's only after assembling an entire accounting team. If we delay business for that long, a bunch of bastards will carve up the territory we missed."
He pulled a map out and spread it on the desk.
"And here," he pointed, "are two nuclear bombs we already have hidden. Their yields are smaller than what you were trying to buy — one is eighty thousand tons, the other one hundred twenty thousand — but both packs are way bigger than Hiroshima or Nagasaki."
Oswald let out a melancholic sigh.
"If I knew you were into nukes, I would have told you sooner. But hey, we still keep agreements we don't want to break."
Then Oswald's face lit up.
"I just got at least twenty calls from big Gotham names. More than twenty council members, including Mayor Mitchell himself, want to come to the Iceberg Lounge tonight to formally meet you."
"Oh?" Axel finally looked interested. "They want to cooperate with us, just like in the Falcone era?"
"That's what it seems like, Boss." Oswald nodded.
Axel frowned.
"They're dreaming too fucking big, damn it. Falcone catered to them because he had to. He gave them a big slice of the pie. But why the hell should I indulge them?"
He slammed the table.
"City Hall members want to see me? Fine. Then Mitchell can bring his wife with him. The rest of that official garbage? I'm not wasting my time. Mitchell comes to talk to me and that's it!"
Axel waved dismissively. Oswald swallowed hard, smiled nervously, then spoke.
"Axel, you're stronger than Falcone in that regard. He was old, scared of bureaucracy, the military‑industrial complex, the Court of Owls — everything. Gotham's gang system stood for thirty years, and we replaced ourselves as the backbone of the city. And after all that time? He was still scared of everything."
Oswald turned to leave, saying one last thing.
"I'll go inform those politicians and make sure they understand the proper attitude for meeting you!"
But just before he exited, Axel called out.
"Oh right, Oswald."
"What is it, Boss?" Oswald turned back, confused.
Axel tapped the desk.
"Don't you think this office looks a bit empty? Bring in some electronics."
"I understand!" Oswald quickly replied.
"I want closed‑circuit TVs that can monitor all of Gotham's districts, and integrate it with the city's mobile network so we can watch everything from here —"
Axel cut him off.
"What the hell are you thinking? I didn't say monitor the damn city!"
He pointed emphatically.
"I told you to get me a high‑spec computer that can run all games smoothly, and some consoles with exclusive titles. Bring PS, Xbox, everything! I need something to kill time! You get that?"
Oswald gulped, then nodded.
"No problem, I'll arrange it right away. Much cheaper than setting up a citywide surveillance system."
In less than half an hour, Axel was buried in a pile of games.
It wasn't until around 8:30 PM that Victor pushed open the door.
"Axel, Mayor Mitchell has arrived with Mrs. Julia. When will you see them?"
"When? Right now!"
Axel put down his controller and followed Victor down the Minus Forty‑Four Degrees corridor.
He patted Victor on the shoulder.
"Later, get a group of capable Buddies ready — I'm gonna need them. And make sure they're the kind who like men, you hear me?"
"Fuck yeah!" Victor blurted out. "That's the Mayor of Gotham, after all. I love your bad temper! Why didn't I meet you sooner? You're exactly my type, Axel!"
Victor led Axel to the private room and then went off to arrange the people Axel requested.
Axel pushed the door open and spotted the Mayor and his wife — stiff, uneasy, but well‑presented.
Axel opened his arms.
"Old Buddy! We just met the night before last. If I remember correctly, you know Haino's father, right? Welcome, Mayor Mitchell, to Wraith's Iceberg Lounge!"
Axel pulled Mitchell in for a warm hug. After releasing him, he turned and bear‑hugged the Mayor's wife, then smacked her butt hard.
Smack!
Axel laughed in satisfaction. Mitchell, surprised for a moment, forced a smile and followed suit.
Axel released the Mayor's wife and asked Mitchell, interested.
"Mitchell, I already drove Carmine out of Gotham, so shouldn't I rename the Iceberg Lounge? Everyone knows it was Falcone's old lair. That couldn't be worse for my reputation."
Mitchell's eyes lit up as if finally in familiar territory.
"Yes, Axel, that's correct. Changing the club's name, a symbol of Falcone, proves that you are —"
Before he finished, Axel randomly slapped Mitchell across the face.
"I said it casually, and you dared to answer?! Where the hell do you get that confidence?! Eternal god of Gotham? That's bullshit! I'm the fucking eternal god of the Chinese music scene!"
He laughed uproariously, leaving the Mayor blinking in disbelief.