Longanimity | GOTHAM

twelve | the scarecrow

While limping his way into the nightclub with Carmine Falcone walking closely beside him, Oswald told him, "And then, the worst of it... Maroni had me locked inside a sedan and tried to crush me alive. So, well, you can imagine my concern. Maroni's not a man to let things go– neither is Mikaelson from what I learned about her during my time of spying on Maroni– and I fear that they will both come after me in retaliation."

As if he was choosing to ignore Oswald's words altogether, Carmine asked him, "Were you planning to clean up the place?"

In turn, Oswald said to him, "What?" When Carmine turned his head to look over at Oswald, Oswald said to him, "Oh, um, I... I can... if you like."

Carmine told him, "It needs it." Then he pointed at a spot on the floor and asked him, "Is that blood?"

After quickly looking over at the spot that Carmine had pointed at, Oswald replied, "Perhaps." Then he quickly started to limp after Carmine as he said, "But Don Falcone..."

While eyeing the inside of the nightclub, Carmine said, "While you're at it... maybe you could do something about the design."

In turn, Oswald said to him, "The design?"

Carmine told him, "It reeks of Fish Mooney." Then he stopped at one of the tables and asked Oswald, "What do you think about the lamps?"

After letting out a bit of a laugh, Oswald said to him, "Don Falcone, maybe you didn't hear me. I need your protection. Maroni will surely try and kill me and based on what I know about Mikaelson, should Maroni fail in his attempt to kill me, Mikaelson won't. She's not the type to truly rest until an enemy of hers has been dealt with on her own terms."

With a nod of his head, Carmine said, "Yes. The lamps should go."

With his eyes slightly widened, Oswald yelled, "Don Falcone, please! Maroni wants my scalp– and Annabelle more than likely wants to see me with my head removed– and you'd have me redecorate."

After quickly turning around and starting to walk over towards Oswald, Carmine told him, "This nightclub makes a lot of money. Without money, we lose influence. Without influence, we lose control. And without control, Maroni and Miss Mikaelson killing you is no longer a hypothetical. It's a foregone conclusion. That's why I want to reopen it. Under your care."

With a hand pressed against his own chest, Oswald asked him, "I can have the club? It's mine?"

Carmine replied, "You've earned it. Your days of sneaking around, spying on Maroni, are over. You're with me now. Publicly. Things are gonna be much different. So spruce up the place, get it open. As for Maroni and Miss Mikaelson, leave them to me."

* * *

While walking beside Carmine Falcone with Annabelle Mikaelson close behind them, Salvatore Maroni said to Carmine, "Thank you for having us."