Issue 1 Downtime

An older gentleman in a thick, wool coat and a shabby, worn suit was standing at the gates. In one hand he carried a cane with a brass-colored handle and on his head he wore a top hat.

The man pressed the doorbell next to the gate and waited for a response, relying on the cane to support his weight.

He did not appear to be in the best of health.

"Can I help you, good sir?" the Lord Tommy More asked, approaching the gate.

"Yes, that would be lovely," the man says, "My name is Maynard Tiboldt. I'm here to discuss the kidnapping of my daughter, Marcie."

"Mr. Tibold, I understand. Here, let me let you in and take you to the administrative offices.

May I take your hat?"

Maynard chuckles, taking his hat and handing it over to Tommy, "Clever boy."

"I am terribly sorry about your daughter's situation, and I'll have you know we have our top men out there right now, seeking to bring justice to those who need it."

"Then I suppose it's only fair to let you know that I have the best the Circus of Crime has to offer working on finding anyone involved in this and wiping them off the face of the planet," Maynard says.

"The Circus of Crime?!" Tommy said, taking a step back.

"...never heard of them."

"You are behind the times, m'boy," Maynard says, "The Circus of Crime is one of the finest criminal organizations in the world. They've run afoul of all the greats. The Avengers, Spider-Man, Daredevil...we've even contended with the X-Men once or twice. Although that was probably before your time."

"Those were the days. Back then, criminals had style. They had flair. Not like the brute thuggery and sickening amateurism that seems to be popular today."

"You are declaring your intents to perform criminal acts on this property, sir?"

"Of course not. I'm a harmless old man," Maynard says, "I am simply reminiscing."

"Fair enough. I shall take you to our leaders, then."