Aside from Penguin and Black Mask, the other factions had their own plans as well.
Some waited and watched, while others prepared to act as circumstances dictated. Out of the public eye, new orders went out one after another, waiting to erupt into action in the days ahead.
For now, though, whatever Gotham's various factions were doing behind the scenes, Christmas drew closer by the day.
Schools across Gotham had officially begun winter break, and Damian and Tim were finally free of the constraints of student life for a while. Of course, relaxing completely was out of the question. Even without night patrols, all sorts of work at Wayne Enterprises and Drake Enterprises still awaited their high-level wage slaves. ( *ˊᵕˋ)✩︎‧₊
Under Alfred's direction, everyone at Wayne Manor decorated a new Christmas tree beside the fireplace. The manor's interior had also been decked out for the season, filling it with holiday cheer.
Logs crackled in the fireplace, and warm golden firelight washed over the entire living room. Red and green decorations hung from the columns and windowsills, while even the air carried the faint scents of pine boughs and hot cocoa.
Although Miaomiao hardly felt the cold, she followed everyone else's example and changed into a soft, warm, cream-colored cashmere top, with a brown, insulated long skirt and black ankle boots. Her inky hair had been loosely braided and coiled at the back of her head, secured with a ribbon and a little crown into a cute, intricate bun.
Tim sat tucked into one corner of the sofa with a laptop, his fingertips still flying over the keys as he dealt with emails. Damian sat on the rug with Titus in his arms, complaining that the holiday decorations were too gaudy, though he never actually got up to take them