10209/Coventry Murders: Clean-Up

Coventry Murders: Clean-Up
Date of Scene:	27 November 2019
Location:	Coventry, Bristol Township
Synopsis:	Zatanna comes to be certain all the demons are gone. Information is shared and Lucifer has some explaining to do.
Cast of Characters:	Zatanna Zatara, Red Hood, Carrie Kelley, Hawkeye (Barton)
Tinyplot:	Coventry Murders

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Zatanna Zatara has posed:
A message had come through from Batman. Zatanna was sitting at home when it came through. A quick read then she glanced toward the door to her room. Not to actually look at it but a moment of wondering if Zachary was around and had been involved in this mess. He'd seemed to have it well in hand, thus she had worked on her own situations.

A quick message fired back. A time arranged.

At the appointed hour, a glowing blue white light appeared and then expanded outward, a portal opening that showed a very stylish sitting room on the other side. Zatanna stepped through the portal and it closed behind her, leaving her on the darkened street.

Someone would be meeting her. Likely someone hiding in shadows since that seemed to be their preferred thing.

Red Hood has posed:
It was a day after the whole business with Mom and her not so little demon army at the Greenwood Funeral Services building. The cops had been through and while the place was still an active crime scene, all they had watching out for the place were a couple of patrol cars, a few dozen yards of yellow police tape and some biowarning stickers. Easy enough for a couple of Bats to slip through.

So at the appointed time when Zatanna appears, the two bats are already inside, Red Hood, leaning against one of the walls, obstensively to look tough but mostly because his leg hurt like hell.

The bodies had all been moved to one of the cooler rooms on site, but the evidence of the battle was still all around, blood, gore, broken furniture, and for those without helmets with full enviromental control the faint smell of burnt flesh.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Kestrel stands near the wall just glancing down the hallway remembering the path she'd followed the prior night. At least until she'd gotten clocked with a chair. A rather nasty bruise can be seen along one cheek in spite of the mask she wears.

"You know," she begins with a little shrug. "It's not that I don't think we shouldn't be careful, but given I saw quite a few of those demons be beheaded... I don't think they'll be finding much use from those bodies anymore." Shrugging, she lets out a sigh, before glancing over to the arrival of Zatanna. "Also it smells awful in here."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
As she arrived, Zatanna looked around as she wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I have to agree." She looks to the pair greeting her, not surprised Batman wasn't among them. Red Hood she had met. The other, she had not. "First things first." A flare of magic in the air although only for those able to sense such things. "Llems yawa." It is a minor spell but in that instant, the stink disappears.

"Much better." She glances around at the walls, tapping into her magical senses. "Did you use enough holy water? I mean, I think there is a spot that might have been missed up near the ceiling over there." The sarcasm is strong in this one.

"Possessed bodies don't need a head to still function. We learned that the hard way. Can you show me where the bodies are?"

Red Hood has posed:
Red Hood tilts his head to Carrie and taps the side of his helmet "Sorry, can't hear you over how awesome the filters are on this thing," he says with a touch ouf a smile in his voice.

Though it 's clear he heard some of what Kestrel had to say "Wait who was beheading the demons?" he asks but really that question sort of answers itself. "Don't tell me... Robin?"

When Zee steps through the portal Jason pushes off the wall and nods, "Heya Zee," he says. "And sure," he thumbs behind him to the cooler area, "First though, have you met Kestrel? Kestrel, Zee, Zee, Kestrel. Kestrel was inside this place for the fight so she'll be able to give you more than I can on what happened. I just saw the end," and by the tone of his voice it was quite an end.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Kestrel crosses her arms slightly trying to ignore the awwful smell... That thankfully Zee dispells with, well, a spell. "Oh god that's better," she gushes reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "I thought I was going to have to go drown myself in mouth wash to get rid of the smell later." A grin is flashed at Zee even as Jason does the introdcutions.

"Nice to meet you. And yeah I was in here, but unfortunately I got kind of blinded after a bit." A gesture is made toward the bruise on her face, and she glances to Jason with a little grimace. "No, of course not. It was the demon I was her with. I mean I didn't stick around to watch her do it all but she was sure tearing them apart." A little shudder comes at the recollection.

"Kind of glad I couldn't see all of it. As for the holy water, it was one of our only weapons so we might have gone overboard. Just a bit."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Nothing wrong with overboard. I'm all about making a spectacle," Zatanna says with a smile. "A pleasure to meet you, Kestral. My name is actually Zatanna, though people seem to find Zee less of a mouthful."

She walks down the hall, heels clicking softly. She's in black slacks, white bustier, pumps with a short heel. No jacket, leaving her arms bare as she follows to the cooler area. There she just opens the door to step inside.

Her power is being drawn to her, swelling, preparing for anything that might jump out at her. To say she is slightly paranoid may be correct. "Demon you were with? You had demons helping you as well?"

Red Hood has posed:
When Kestrel delcares the smell gone Red Hood chances the removal of his helmet, and when it's off, leaving him with his domino mask, he breathes a deep breath. "Wow, that is better," he'd had the misfortune of smelling the place the night before and hadn't been looking forward to a repeat performance.

"And right, sorry, probably should have went with Zatanna," he says as he leads the way deeper into the building, stepping over bloodstains and broken furnature "Oh right the demon, yeah, how'd she do in the fight?" he asks Kestrel before adding to Zee. "Yeah, it was a whole Demonpalooza last night, we had this one named Nora and well, Lucifer, and they had like all the other ones..." he shakes his head as they get to one of the cold storage rooms marked with the biohazard sticker. "Okay, here's the first one," he says opening the door, revealing some of the burned and beheaded corpses inside. Red Hood makes a face, even with his history that was an ugly sight.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
"That's all right. I do know who you are, Zatanna. I've met your cousin several times... Though he doesn't remember." Or at least hasn't been told who she is yet. Even so, it was fun to pull a 'Batman' when it came to knowing things.

A slight nod is given to Hood when he removes his helmet, and declares the air better earning a smirk from her. "Weak," she teases lightly. There were questions to answer though so she slips back into the important things. "This guy calling himself Lucifer Morningstar and a demon he knows were helping us to get rid of these demons. So... Yeah, there's that. They were able to identify the main demon in charge of this group so we could try to stop this whole summoning ritual they were trying."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Looking at the corpses, Zatanna frowned a bit. First, gross. Second, really gross. And third, time to get to work. "Lucifer helped? Good. I know he had been able to speak to the demons before." Seems she approves of the self proclaimed Devil's participation.

The idea he had his own demons along for the fight was a bit disturbing but if he kept them under control, who was she to judge?

She reached out with her hand, sketching a blue symbol in the air then murmuring a word backwards. "Esnaelc." The symbol jumped, then fluttered down to the pile of bodies. It moved to each in turn, touching them. As it touched, it flared a bright white then returned to the original blue. It stopped after it had touched each one, coming to hover at shoulder level in front of Zatanna. "These are all clean."

Red Hood has posed:
Red Hood's mask being off allows him to do more than just sniff the air, it allows him to grin and stick his tongue out at Kestrel when she declares him weak.

It's clear from Zee's tone that she approves of Lucifer, but he presses a little all the same, "So, how do you know him? I am assuming that day with your cousin wasn't the first time the two of you met," he says and then adds for Kestrel. "Was using Zach for demon bait one night when Zatana dropped in for a visit." Though he's quick to add, "It was Zach's idea," unless Zatanna is in a 'turning into a frog' kinda mood.

Can she do that? He didn't want to find out.

When the first room of corpses declared clean Red Hood nods, "Great, only two more to go," leading the way to the next.

"So, anything we should know for the future to deal with this kind of threat?"

Carrie Kelley has posed:
"Apparently I need to get out more," Kestrel mutters with a little shake of her head. "You get to meet all the interesting people. *I* get to meet Constantine. That's hardly fair." Of course, Jason had gone with her on that trip too so she couldn't complain too much. When Zatanna finishes with this room she gestures down the hall. "That's where the main thing was going on. 'Mom' was trying to sucker some people into being willing sacrifices in exchange for bringing their loved ones back to life, supposedly, from what I overheard. ... Some probably believed it, sadly."

"And, yeah, ideas would be nice. I'd like to have something more than holy water if this comes up again."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna follows them to the next room, the little rune floating along beside her. As they entered the second room, the rune began to flit and dance in the air. "Go ahead," she murmured to it. Off it went, to start checking all bodies in this room.

Zatanna turned her attention to the pair of living people with her. "Several options come to mind. First, have a magic user on speed dial. Or a priest. Maybe both," she adds after a moment. "Faith is another but you have to be a true believer for that to work. A cross or Star of David alone will do nothing if the faith is not there to back it up. Obviously putting the body out of commission so it won't be able to reach you, but that is also limited since they can jump to another when the first is disabled." Like a car. Easier to talk about them that way and not consider they were once people.

"As for Lucifer? We've met a few times. I consider him a friend. He has helped me from time to time, mainly with information. Or as he did that night when he came to Conventry to help analyze the demons."

Red Hood has posed:
"Well hang out with me more often and you will," Red Hood teases Carrie with a grin, "And Constantine's not so bad, except he got me back into smoking." Well if you could call it that, weeks into it he was only down six cigarettes on his first pack since starting up again. Bats and control, they can't even do vice right.

"Met him before?" Red Hood asks, Zatanna. "Constantine I mean?" He didn't have a read on how tight the magic user circle was.

The bit about the scam and what Mom was using for bait to lure in her victims, made his skin crawl. "Shit, and I thought our usual rogues were disgusting..." it almost made him want to hit these demons all over again.

"Hrm, fresh out of priests on my contacts, how about you Kes?" Jason quips. They did have magic users, though, "Well can't say much for faith, but I can mess up demon legs well enough."

As for Lucifer? There's one big question he wants to ask. "So, what's your read, is he you know, really him?"

Carrie Kelley has posed:
"Don't look at me, I mostly know a bunch of deviants." Kestrel grins a bit even as she watches the displays of magic. There was something very interesting about this to her still as she'd only seen a handful of examples of it. Shaking her head to get her mind back on track she tips her head back to the pair.

"Yeah what's with this Lucifer guy? I mean he seems okay. A bit gung-ho about running off into danger, but I can't exactly say that's a strike against him. I mean just look at this guy," she adds gesturing toward Hood.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Constantine?" That names brings a smile to Zatanna's lips. "We are old friends, yes. He takes some getting used to but he truly is one of the good guys. It's just hard to see sometimes through the haze of smoke and the musty smell of his trenchcoat."

She begins to walk around the room a bit, letting her senses pick up on things. "I will give you both my number before I leave. Just keep in mind that sometimes, I am out of range. Other dimensions don't have reception." She says it like she's discussing a trip out of town. She pauses at a spot, reaching out with her power and examining something then continuing her slow circuit of the room as the rune continues it's dance from body to body.

"Lucifer? At one time, I would have said no. But now? I think perhaps he has been telling us the truth. I believe he is indeed Lucifer, fallen angel, keeper of Hell. Though, my understanding, he chose to take a vacation from his position and moved to the city for some enjoyment."

Red Hood has posed:
"Wait am I one of those deviants?" Jason asks as if he's just cluing into that fact right now.

Tossing his helmet up in the air and catching it while the rune does its work, Jason nods, "Wouldn't have pegged him as a good guy myself, felt more like an opportunist," he says before shrugging. "Must not have gotten past the trench coat stink," he grins.

There's a moment's pause while Jason considers the topic of Loa and if he was going to be a dick for bringing it up... but the revelation about Lucifer derails that train in a spectuacular fashion.

"Seriously, like /the/ Lucifer, better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven, /that/ Lucifer?" Jason asks pulling out the Mitonian quote. "And wait, the Devil can take a vacation?"

God... he was going to need to sit down, finding no chairs, he just leans against the wall for a moment while all of that sunk in.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
This reaction from Jason was a little unexpected. Kestrel glances at Zatanna with a clueless sort of shrug silently, then looks back to the slumped Jason. Stepping closer she reaches out to place a hand on his arm trying to offer some sort of comfort. For what she wasn't entirely sure. He was usually so flippant about everything. Seeing him do this? It was different.

"You okay, Red?" It's asked quietly as she considers what to say herself. A grin is flashed, attempting to joke, as she offers, "I mean it's not so far off right? We run around with a guy dressed like a bat, who fights clowns and people who control plants... And we know a guy that flies around and can shoot lasers out of his eyes. Devil seems kinda... I don't know. Cliche?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"John." Realizing they might not be on a first name basis, Zatanna adds, "Constantine does come across that way. And he can be an opportunist. But when the chips are down, he is one that will be there to help."

As Jason asks that question, she looks over at his reaction. The words, the way he is slumping against the wall. "Well, I'm not sure he can 'just take a vacation'," she theorizes. "I'm quite certain that has caused some problems. But it isn't as though he chose to be the keeper of Hell. It was a duty given to him. And I supposed after millennia, I'd want a break so I can't really condemn him for that."

The little rune flits back to her, work done and back to blue. "These are all clean."

Red Hood has posed:
Jason nods, "I think I know the type," Jason says of Constantine with a nod.

Then it's all about Lucifer, Red Hood does his best to rally, and when he's pushed away from the wall he puts his helmet back on, clicking the seals back into place.

"Yeah," he lies at first to Kestrel's question, then after a breath changes his answer to: "Not really. When he banished the main demon," he turns his head towards Zee. "We've been calling her 'Mom'," Jason explains. "I saw him do it, and I saw /him/ the real him, and I was kinda hoping I was hallucinating and that the whole devil business wasn't real."

He lets out a breath again, asking Zee. "Can we trust what he says?" Jason asks. "Because he kind of told us Batman was going to Hell before Lucifer stopped him and sent him back."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
"He what?" This was news to Kestrel. She shakes her head quickly, trying to focus back on the actual issue of the moment. "Okay, so we're clean. That's good to know. Less reason to hang around a mortuary, the better." A grin is flashed to Zatanna. "Thanks for helping us look it over. Or, really I guess you did all the work and we just pointed in the right direction. Still, thanks."

With Hood re-helmeting she steps away letting him put on his brave face. She knew him well enough to realize that's what he was doing. They all hid behind masks at some point or another. "Well... I can say one thing. If Lucifer is acting? He's doing a hell of a job of it."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"That's something I've been meaning to ask him," Zatanna realizes she let that slip through the cracks. With everything going on, being so overwhelmed, it was bound to happen. "I'll have to ask him about that. Because I really do take issue with it."

She watches Red Hood put back on his helmet, not recognizing it for what it was. To her, he's just getting his stuff back together to head out in a moment since they are almost done. "In my experience, he doesn't lie. He may omit information or not share the full truth but if asked a direct question, he won't lie. He prides himself on his honesty." She smiles a bit. "I realize how strange that sounds but it is one of those oddities. Though he has been called the King of Lies, I feel that may have been someone else and he got blamed for it. After all, the demons lie all the time."

Red Hood has posed:
"Actually, one more room," Red Hood corrects, his voice slightly distorted by the helmet as he leads the way. Leading to the last smaller room, which includes the body of Polly, 'Mom's' suit of choice the previous night, gives him time to gather his thoughts and composure.

He does give a nod to Kestrel though about what he said, "Yeah, that's what he told us, that he can only send back souls heading to Hell and that Batman's was one of those souls."

And if freaking Batman was going to hell, what did it say about all the rest of them?

"Yeah, if he's acting he needs all the Tony's, Emmy's and the Oscars for that shit," he agrees with Kestrel, though Zee's comments give him a little bit of hope. "So you think he might not be right about Batman going to hell?" he asks her even with the bits about him not telling lies. It was easy to overlook things like that when you're clinging to hope that world still made sense.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
"I would think there'd be a lot of factors involving the future. I mean. There always is with time travelers. String theory." Kestrel muses rather absently as she wasn't entirely sure what reason Batman would be going to hell. Tormenting the mentally unstable? Maybe. That was about it so far as she could see, really. She follows along quietly waiting for the rest of this cleansing stuff to be done.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Now this room, Zatanna's focus changes. Not so nonchalant or relaxed. She moves to the body of Polly, squatting down to examine it more closely. The little rune runs off to do it's task, flitting from person to person.

"Ecart eht htap," she murmurs. Her eyes go solid white for a moment, hair lifting up as though there is a wind but there is none in the room. She follows the passage of Mom from this place. Turning her head, she focuses on one of the bodies after the other. "She was dragged back." Her voice echoes, as though there are three of her speaking at once. "More dragged. Some simply followed."

She stands, turning slowly around the room and the rune flits over to her. She holds out her hand and it settles on her palm then is absorbed into her, the magic becoming hers to use again. Her hair falls to her shoulders, eyes returning to normal.

"No more demons. You all did a great job."

Red Hood has posed:
Red Hood nods to Kestrel, hoping very much that all is not written and that some loophole exists that might save them all even if Lucifer was right. "Hope you're right," Red Hood offers.

For his part Red Hood doesn't flinch away from the empty vessel of the girl, it made him angry to see her and know that she'd been used by the demon, but anger was familiar, he could use it to keep the rest of his emotions at bay.

"Good, then yesterday wasn't a waste of time," Red Hood offers giving another not to Kestrel at Zatanna's good job. "They did more than I did. Thanks for your help Zatanna we owe you one," using the Batfamily we in this case.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Kestrel doesn't follow entirely into the room. She didn't really have the heart to knowing who 'Mom' had inhabited. Just a little girl. A little girl whose father was desperate to save her. While the other two go in she waits at the door staring down the hall with arms crossed over her chest.

"Good. At least things are sort of back to where they ought to be." she pauses though, and glances over her shoulder at the pair. "... Think there's anything we can do for the family of these people? Having loved ones come back to life must be pretty traumatic, only for them to be killed in front of you again. Even if they were demons."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"I'd offer magic but it likely would cause more harm than good. Therapy and lots of it is really all I can suggest," Zatanna says sadly as she looks to the fallen body of Polly again. Then she walks for the door, wanting to put this all behind her.

Once back in the hallway, she considers. "I'll reach out to Lucifer. See if I can found out about this Batman going to Hell. I don't believe he should go there. It doesn't fit. I will let you know what I learn."

She sweeps her fingers through the air and out flip two business cards. She offers one to each of them. "My direct number, as promised."

Red Hood has posed:
Red Hood nods, to Kestrel, "No kidding," he agrees about seeing their loved ones cut down in front of them. "We can reach out to the Wayne Foundation, they've helped out with victims of crime in the past, and I think these people count," he wasn't entirely sure how in the know Zatanna was with the connections between the Bats and the Waynes so he keeps his wording vague.

"Let us know what you find out," Red Hood says as he takes Zee's card and flips her one of his own, a line to a burner phone he kept for contacts.

"And thanks again."

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Testing testing testing this has to be ten words so here we go, blah, blah, blah