[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/868848204068814850/870771342335701032/victor.png[/img][/center][indent][sub][color=white][b]SEASON ONE[/b][/color][color=lightblue] Sensation & Wonder[/color][/sub][sup][right][b][color=white]Springtime for Mr. Freeze #2[/color][/b][color=lightblue] Frozen Treats[/color][/right][/sup][/indent][indent][indent][indent][hr][/indent][/indent][/indent][indent][color=white][sub][b]Super Secret Lair[/b][/sub][/color][/indent]
When Mr. Freeze wanted to scavenge every piece of information Wayne Biotech had on his wife Nora, he was starting to notice he may have stolen too much. It was taking days for him to scrutinize every file report, summary, and medical data to search for any anomalies or, Lord have mercy, subtle abuses against his wife. Instead of his fears being verified, Mr. Freeze felt a bizarre ritual of emotions flowing through his mind. Peace, feeling honored, and dare he did not say out loud, gratitude to Bruce Wayne. Wayne Biotech had an unofficial boast that there was no disease they could not cure and the "temporary" custody of Nora's wellbeing had done nothing to dampen that drive. Given the expenses and the list of names of all the doctors and nurses that worked on and monitored his wife during his confinement at Arkham Asylum, not a single cent was wasted. It seemed that Mr. Freeze has worried over nothing but when he looked at his wife floating like an angel descending among the snow, that joy turned into sorrow. 

Although his base was cold enough for him to shed his cryo suit, the supervillain still felt imprisoned. He approached his wife once again as if his presence would miraculously purge the disease confined in her body like a damnable parasite.

[color=lightblue][i]I'm failing you, my dear Nora...[/i][/color] Mr. Freeze thought bitterly, feeling contempt for himself. While he was isolated in a repurposed meat locker, Mr. Wayne over here had an entire army of engineers, doctors, and scientists backed up with near-infinite pools of cash to throw at endless amounts of experiments to find a cure. A turtle to a racecar. [color=lightblue][i]Would you...still love me?[/i][/color] A wretched thought that he quickly banished from his mind but the doubt still lingered. [color=lightblue][i]What if I can't find the cure?[/i][/color]

Mr. Freeze clenched his fist as he mentally roared at his mind to cease these self-doubting. 

[color=lightblue][i]What if Wayne Enterprise discovered the cure first?[/i][/color]

Then the 2nd Ice Age will engulf the world when Nora falls into the arms of that multi-billionaire playboy. Mr. Freeze will do his duty to save her for no one else can. 

[color=lightblue]"I just have to be better..."[/color] Mr. Freeze concluded softly. [color=lightblue]"For you Nora, for our marriage, for our...future. I can make this work. I can do this..."[/color]

He can do this. He must. Looking back at the papers and files, Mr. Freeze returned to his desk and examined a different report. This one was a bit different as Wayne Biotech had examined other patients that displayed similar symptoms. "MacGregor's Syndrome" they called it, named after one of the doctors who studied the disease extensively. He grunted as he looked over the different people listed to have similarities to his wife's disease. Rather clever, he had to admit. A 60% commonality is still useful in meeting up a baseline whereas Mr. Freeze had to resort to lab rat experimentation to test his cures. 

He might just have to return to Wayne Biotech to meet up with its medical teams for a discussion.  

But first, the knock on the door required his attention. 

[color=lightblue]"Enter!"[/color]

Much to his chagrin, the entrance to his office opened to reveal four individuals in winter clothes. 

[color=pink]"Hey, Mr. Freeze!"[/color] one of the men waved hello to the supervillain. [color=pink]"How's the wife?"[/color]

[color=lightblue]"Why are you all here?!"[/color] Mr. Freeze fumed, [color=lightblue]"This base is supposed to be confidential! There are no assignments I have for you! Not yet...at least."[/color]

[color=lightgreen]"Can't exactly blame us, uhh...Mr. Freeze."[/color] The former henchman with long dreadlocks spoke up. [color=lightgreen]"You don't memory wipe us of this place's location...not that you should! Your secret is safe with us...for me at least, it's a secret."[/color]

[color=pink]"Real quick! Now that we're here, can we..."[/color]

Wordlessly, Mr. Freeze allowed them to take their seats in front of him with a slight gesture of a hand.

[color=pink]"See?"[/color] the unemployed goon grinned underneath his ski mask towards one of his colleagues, [color=pink]"He's really nice!"[/color]

[color=lightblue]"Nice? NICE?!"[/color] The frosty villain said in disbelief, perhaps a little too harsh towards the man. Mr. Freeze had done many a dishonorable deed over the decades. He surely can't be "nice". 

Much to his own surprise, three of his henchmen nodded in agreement, although the fourth one was more reluctant. 

[color=lightgreen]"To be fair, aside from the pay, you do give out free ice cream for anyone that works for you. I can finally have ice cream parties to reward my elementary students." [/color]

[color=pink]"You also have a very safe and productive work environment!" [/color] The goon pointed at his own heavy-duty winter jacket. [color=pink]"Unlike the Joker or the Riddler, you at least berate us to wear winter clothes so we don't freeze to death in your secret lair."[/color]

The other goon seemed to be in agreement at the last statement. [color=orange]"For sure, those guys have a mad case of Bat Boners. Glad I don't work for the Joker anymore."[/color]

Raising a hairless eyebrow, Mr. Freeze was as pleased as a corpse with all these compliments. [color=lightblue][i]I'm not a nice person. Not anymore...forgive me, Nora...[/i][/color]

[color=pink]"So..boss, when will we start doing those heists again?"[/color]

[color=lightblue]"I fear you are wasting your time here." [/color] Mr. Freeze answered plainly, [color=lightblue]"I have no plans as of tonight to carry out."[/color]

[color=aqua]"That's a shame."[/color] A feminine voice remarked underneath the ski goggles and mask. [color=aqua]"I wanted to quit my job at the Iceberg Casino hoping to start here. I guess I'm stuck with the Penguin." [/color]

Victor scowled when he heard the Pengiun's name. What a petty, greedy, fat dwarf of a supervillain he the displeasure to work near. He hopes that Nora will never be within a two-mile radius of that hub of debauchery and corruption.

[color=lightblue]"Is this an emergency?"[/color] he inquired, [color=lightblue]"Is that why you are all present before me? For a score of cash."[/color]

The woman nodded solemnly. [color=aqua]"My landlord raised my rent recently and I'm already strapped between a lousy paycheck and raising my daughter on my own so I approached them if they knew that you had a...job opening." [/color]

[color=lightblue]"My condolences." [/color] Mr. Freeze muttered, [color=lightblue]"But I must reiterate, I have no options tonight for I must return to my current task with my files." [/color]

[color=pink]"That's a shame." [/color] The goon shrugged, [color=pink]"Well, you know where to find us, boss. See ya."[/color]

The three men exited the room as they discussed among themselves over getting more boxes of ice cream to take home from the marvelous ice cream machines Mr. Freeze has so graciously fixed.

[color=lightblue]"Have you brought up your financial burden to your landlord?"[/color] Victor asked softly when it's just the two of them left.

The woman only half-laughed and half-cried. [color=aqua]"What do you think was the first thing I did when he told me the news?[/color]

[color=aqua]"But I'll manage. I always do...thanks for the ice cream."[/color]

She got up from her seat and turned towards the exit. 

[color=lightblue]"Wait!"[/color] Victor called out after her, [color=lightblue]"Consider this a professional courtesy..."[/color] [hr][indent][color=white][sub][b]The Den Apartments[/b][/sub][/color][/indent]
"What a productive payday..." The landlord muttered gleefully as he counted the cash he collected from his tenants. He was amazed why he hadn't thought of this raising the rent before. These people have been saving up some serious money only to end up in the pockets of their landlord. He was about to call it a night and head off to bed and dream of gambling at the Iceberg Lounge when the door to his office burst open to reveal two red glowing eyes. 

"Oh shit! I'm being robbed!" the landlord cried as he quickly reached over to a shelf to grab his revolver except for Mr. Freeze beating him to it. He cursed even harder when his only weapon in the drawer was trapped under a layer of ice. "Damn you, Mr. Freeze! You're not getting my money!"

[color=lightblue]"On the contrary, you will hand it over to me."[/color] Victor disputed coldly as he slowly approached the man, his heavy boots thumping across the wooden floor.

"Oh screw you! Batman will save me and kick your ass back to Arkham!"

In response, Mr. Freeze switched firing mode on his freeze ray and shot a two-foot-long icicle at the landlord, pinning him to the wall by the collar. [color=lightblue]"Yes. He will." [/color] Victor agreed, pointing his freeze ray directly at his head. 

"Okay...okay! You win, just take the case and leave!" The landlord pleaded. 

[color=lightblue]"Now we are in agreement. However, this requires one clause for your part: lowering your rent to the previous rate."[/color]

"What? Are you insane?"

Another icicle found itself buried dangerously near the landlord's crotch. 

"Deal! I'll notify everyone tomorrow! I swear! Don't take big me from me!"

Much to the landlord's relief, Mr. Freeze exited the room with the case full of the rent money as soon as he heard the vow. He then located the woman that he had talked to earlier. 

[color=lightblue]"Your burden has been lifted. He swore to rescind his latest rent increase."[/color] Victor told her as he handed over the case.

[color=aqua]"Thank you but most of the money here doesn't belong to me. They're my neighbors' money too."[/color] She sigh. 

[color=lightblue]"Then distribute as you see fit."[/color] he retorted. 

[color=aqua]"Right, yes. I'll do that and,..oh. I won't tell anyone about your base. A Profesional Courtesy, you know. Can I work for you, still?"[/color]

[color=lightblue]"...."[/color]

[color=aqua]"You're a lot kinder than my current boss."[/color]

[color=lightblue]"No...I'm not kind."[/color] Mr. Freeze replied softly as he walked away back to his secret base, remembering his first robbery and victim to his freeze gun. [color=lightblue][i]"I'm not kind at all."[/i][/color]