In the evidence analysis lab of the Gotham Police Department, Gordon braced both hands on the counter and watched a sharp-faced man in glasses examine a footprint sample.
Electrical engineer Vina leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. "I don't think the culprit was a local, and it definitely wasn't Penguin. Those losses would be unacceptable to him."
"You know what he's doing in the basement, right?"
"Of course. The power consumption can't hide from me." Vina adjusted her glasses. "But at least he uses a fully automated factory. Other than burning a little extra electricity, it's much better than using illegal labor."
"And he probably has more poppy factories than you think. I mean, the one on the surface is just a cover." Vina pulled a receipt from her toolkit. "His actual power consumption is more than ten times what you're seeing."
Gordon accepted the receipt skeptically. One glance left him stunned. "Is he trying to build a spaceship?! How can he use this much electricity?!!"
"Growing and processing poppies isn't the biggest drain. He's also got an entire electronic computing network down there. He calls it the 'Virtual Staff,' a think tank system. It's the key to ensuring he has an advantage in every election."
Gordon frowned deeply. "No wonder he's always been pushing electronic ballots. He was preparing to hack the vote banks all along."
"If Penguin didn't do it," Gordon said, rubbing his chin, "then no one wants to catch the killer more than he does."
Just then, Gordon's phone rang again. Without looking, he answered it. "We've got some leads, but not many. Don't expect us to make an arrest. We're short on manpower."
The person on the other end launched into another tirade, but it had little effect. It was obvious that they were merely