12353/This Is What We Do

This Is What We Do
Date of Scene:	20 October 2020
Location:	The Narrows, Burnley
Synopsis:	Batman and Batgirl (Cassandra) find out some information about warring families after taking down some assassins on the rooftops of Gotham.
Cast of Characters:	Batman, Batgirl (Cain)

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Batman has posed:
    They are silent, they are the dark, the shadows of movement barely a flicker against the backdrop of the city. A grim monochromatic tableau that speaks only of silence and death. Four of them at the moment upon the former textile processing plant, an old building that hadn't been utilized fully since the late 40s, only now being little more than a series of storefronts for fly by night businesses that show up with little fanfare in the Narrows, then are gone the next day.
    Yet these four, and the trailing fifth had some task that drew them out of their normal stomping grounds in China Town. It was rare to see the Yingtzi Tong using a kill squad, some great insult must have passed or some war was in the offing. And they intended to strike first.
    But when one wages war in Gotham, one must know to take precautions. Hence why the four men in black moved across the rooftops in a staggered formation, covering each other in a steady bounding overwatch that led them from cover to cover. Their vehicle abandoned several blocks over, their exposure time to be limited and not earthbound so they can evac quickly. One must make plans for dealing with the Bats when one wages war in Gotham.
    Hence that trailer, the fifth of them moving with the long rifle, his job was to cover the others as they set up for the hit.
    Which is why he was the first eliminated.
    On the comms the only signal was a soft 'click-click', just enough to indicate that she should move in and get the job done.

Batgirl (Cain) has posed:
They trained. Practiced. Toiled all hours to perfect their tactics. It was demanded by their mentor. In truth, they demanded it of themselves. Some of them perhaps protested such harshness, such a need for perfection.

Except her.

Of them all, perhaps she was most like the figure that haunted the nightmares of Gotham criminals. At least in this aspect. That drive for perfection. Efficiency. Others excelled with charisma or computers or investigations. Each had their role they filled. Even the newest in their team.

She was apart. Different. Though she had found her place there with them. Found family. Friendship. A father figure who was demanding certainly but far beyond what her biological father had been. Though she had to recognize that the man who helped create her had built her for this. These moments in the dark. Though thanks to the man in the cowl, it was now something used for good instead of evil.

With the rifleman out of the way, the others would be less difficult targets. Not easy. Never easy. She had to wait for them to glance at each other, get their assurance they were all in place. There would be ten seconds before they glanced again.

Ten seconds was a lifetime on the rooftops.

A batarang flew for the one on the next roof, as she separated from the HVAC unit she'd been hiding behind. The figure runnng toward her tried to stop on the gravel covering the roof, skidding three feet in his haste. Which put him right where she needed him. A kick to midriff, followed by a punch to the face, sending him sprawling. An efficient, hard kick to the head knocked him out. No time to tie him.

Eight seconds.

She headed for the one the batarang had struck, cape spreading as she leapt from one building to the next, letting him know just who was after him.

Batman has posed:
    During the mayhem of conflict, she was the perfect tool. He claimed not to think of them that way, but that is how he viewed the world, seeing how pieces interlocked and worked together. He couldn't help comparing, noting, marking differences. And this Batgirl, she was the perfect counterpoint for him to operate opposite of.
    Oh there had been times in the past when he and Dick has such rhythm, had a sixth sense in some ways about what the other would do, how they would approach a situation, how they would work together. Yet there were flaws, small flaws in ego, in emotion, in intensity. And none of that was there with Cassandra unless they were facing a select few opponents in the world.
    None of whom were on the rooftops this night.
    She was moving in, the rifleman well in hand. The batarang whirred and she made that leap across the way, cape flaring and showing those gangsters exactly who or what they faced. The effect was palpable. The first flash of awe and shock which checked their movements for one second, two as they reached for their weapons and hesitated.
    It gave him the perfect moment to enter the fray as he dropped from the billboard silently and suddenly there was a dark presence standing between them. Tall, grim, unmoving as it slowly dawned on them what was happening.
    It gave Cassandra all the time she would need to break into their formation. And when she struck, he did as well.

Batgirl (Cain) has posed:
The batarang had struck true. Blunt side hitting the next man in the head, sending him down hard. He wasn't out though, even with the blood trickling down his forehead. He was already trying to bring around a semi-automatic pistol, to bring it to bear. The blood seeping into his eyes burned, like salt water, but it was not clear. Thick. Red. Blurring his vision and making it impossible to aim even if he got a bead.

The strike had been planned, knowing this would buy more seconds.

Through that thick liquid, as he tried to wipe his eyes clear, he saw that shadow, the shape of a bat. Then there was a force striking his weapon. A boot having kicked it clear and away from him, out of reach so it would do no damage to the vigilantes.

The feel of that heavy boot to the arm was followed by one to his head. He went down and she was atop him, a punch to the face then the blunt force of the boot again to the same place.

Five seconds.

She spun, turning to face what was certainly about to be a melee with the others.

Batman has posed:
    When her vision sliced back to the three others she would see what she expected to be the Batman amongst those gunmen, only instead for her to see that same tall silhouette only now with two men lying upon the ground. One clasping his twisted arm as he groans loudly, writhing on the rooftop. While the other was out cold, sprawled with his back across the heavy air conditioner.
    The third, however, was holding his hands up, roughly throwing his gun away. Which had him spinning instantly about as Cassandra recovered. Leading to him rushing towards her as he breaks into a run, footsteps rough and ragged kicking up gravel as he's still looking over his shoulder...
    Then his gaze snaps back to the fore, believing what luck he must have that the Batman isn't chasing him. That he has a free path to run...
    And then he gets within five feet of Cass.

Batgirl (Cain) has posed:
This one they needed awake. To answer questions. Certainly they could wait for the others after cleaning up and tying them but more efficient to just keep him conscious.

Which meant her blows had to be more calculated. She did her own dash toward him, even as his eyes were on the man behind. A foolish move. It left him wide open. By the time he turned and saw her, five feet away, she was at a full run. She dropped, skidding, taking his legs out from under him in the motion. As he dropped, she was atop him, one arm catching him around the neck, the other completing the rear naked choke hold.

She said not a word. Made no sound. She held him there and he knew that with a little pressure, she would have him knocked out. Or she could kill him. The one with the full mask, the one who didn't talk or discuss or ask questions. They always had to wonder if she would cross that line and that fear helped with these criminals.

She glanced to Batman, giving him the opening he needed to ask what he would of the man.

Batman has posed:
    The man twisted, strained, tried to break the hold only for her to start that pressure which caused his struggle to halt. Just enough for him to grimace as he tried to breathe but then the fight seemed to go out of him even as he saw the heavy dark boots step around his side, to stand in front of her.
    He doesn't ask for her to pick him up, doesn't even say anything for the first five seconds he's panting and trying to draw air. Only for him to be left with his thoughts for that time until he says, "I need the name of your target. Who were you trying to assassinate?"
    Which has the man responding in Mandarin sharply, << No idea what you're talking about, fuck off! >>
    Then that boot eases forwards and presses upon the man's shoulder and clavicle, the weight growing very slightly, but then not too much is needed to snap that bone. He only exerts partial pressure however, which causes the man to snarl and rage.
    << I need a name. >> He says sharply, his own Mandarin without accent.

Batgirl (Cain) has posed:
Her purpose is to keep him from moving. From getting away. Not that it is likely he could at this point, with the pair of them within reach. Even if she let go, he was caught and he knew it. Yet, she did not release the pressure. She even braced her body against his, knowing that foot was coming in for the pressure point. She tightened her legs, pushing forward a bit now that he is still trying to resist.

She glances to Batman, her cowl shifting a bit as she asks the silent question. A tiny jerk of the head to toward the other rooftops.

Tick tick. The longer this took, the more likely one of the others would wake. They needed to be secured. This was her way of asking stay or go take care of that and leave him to the interrogation.

Batman has posed:
    Time slipped away slowly, slower for the man who was wracked with pain until he finally groaned and in perfect English snarls, "Tiny Takahashi, guy lit up one of the Yingtzi's poker games, made off with the house and the pot, fucked over three families, guy has it coming!"
    And as easy as that the pressure is removed. The dark cowl shifts to focus those white eyelets on the faceless Batgirl, then he nods letting her know that she can resolve the situation.
    Stepping away he moves over to the unconscious forms, clicking handcuffs from his belt and starting to click them into place on the fallen. After the first series of clicks he says over his shoulder, "Looks like we need to pay a call on Mr. Takahashi." Another click and he rises.
    The engagement might be over, but the night is far from it.