2115/The Middle Finger of the Hand

The Middle Finger of the Hand
Date of Scene:	21 August 2017
Location:	New York City
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Daredevil, Luke Cage, Psylocke

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Daredevil has posed:
    The normal silence of the night is shattered by the clatter of tiles and the crash of falling glass, causing dogs across the neighborhood to howl and bark. For the last twenty minutes, however, all had been silent on the rooftops of Hell's Kitchen. A battle for life and death had been waged in the long shadows, only lit by the gleam of darkened steel in the moonlight and the glisten of spattered blood upon the walls of the old apartment building. For a time it had been naught save the impact of fists to flesh, the crunch of bones, and the impact of steel.
    But then the neighborhood's peace was shattered as a body fell out of one of the high windows and landed in a crumpling heap in a heavy garbage bin, the safety glass shattering as it strikes the ground and the beadlets pattering upon the metal lid that hangs just above the fallen body... only for it to be /slammed/ shut by the falling figure of the Daredevil landing with both feet on it and locking that fallen ninja in the garbage container.
    Above him, four more black silhouettes leap out from the window, all falling to earth with their blades drawn and ready, landing light and bracketing the man in red as he holds out his batons there in the alleyway, one whirling through a smooth circle as he rises to his feet and makes ready. He had been intending to meet with Luke Cage almost an hour ago now. But some things... don't always stick to life's schedule.

Luke Cage has posed:
    "Thanks. Have a good night now."

    Luke Cage finishes making the bus driver's night as he hops off the public transportation with the ease and style of someone that just pretty much rides the bus everywhere. Okay, so normally he gets a ride but this time he's been traveling on his own so there's a reason why he's managed to get to Hell's Kitchen without too much trouble in his wake.

    That reason being that the trouble is already here.

    Cage was supposed to meet with Daredevil but when he didn't show, he figured that he should make an appearance. With the bus stop not far from the alley that he usually takes to meet up with his colleague, it only takes him a few moments to realize exactly what's held him up. "Seriously?" is asked of no one as he spots the commotion and shenanigans without missing a beat.

    All hesitation is gone and Luke Cage takes off into the alley without a battle cry. No need to let the closest blade wielding ninja fool know what's going on. Not when he's got a Timberland boot raised and aimed to kick him dead in the back and send him off somewhere that's not trying to jump the Daredevil. "So this is why you ain't pick up your phone." is quipped in Daredevil's direction.

Daredevil has posed:
    To their credit, the men garbed in black are good, very good. But they're not iron skinned nor intensely strong. The one nearest Luke whirls around, the blade coming up and around in this clean stroke that would be textbook perfection and in most cases would end with a corpse on the ground without a head. He'll have a split second while he's in mid-flight to see the ninja's eyes narrowed and something akin to satisfaction in his eyes as he makes that slice...
    Only for his sword to shatter in mid-stroke. An ancient blade, that had been in the Clan for these past sixty seven years...
    Lost.
    His eyes transmit such grief in that bare picosecond before the big boot /CRUNCHES/ hard into the man's chest and sends him rolling back with a thubba-thubba-thump into the wall where he lies motionless.
    It's enough to set the whole vibe off for the other three bladesmen who whirl around to focus on the new threat... only for one of them to pay the price for letting his gaze slip away from the Daredevil as a baton whirs through the air and ricochets off the noggin of one, smacking into the back of the other, and then caroming back into his hand as he /leaps/ at them.
    "I thought you were a tele-marketer."

Luke Cage has posed:
    "You're the third person that told me that this week. Are you guys saying I should stop using payphones?"

    Cage is unphased by whatever he had been struck with due to not being able to even feel it. No flinch. No anything. In fact, he seemed to be more worried about what he did with his kick and the wall than anything that just happened to him. See? He doesn't like fighting but he's more worried about keeping the Daredevil alive long enough to have whatever conversation they were going to have later. Business. It's probably always about business.

    Cage turns to one of the other bad warriors that may be still lingering around and conscious. He narrows his eyes and gives him a bit of a shrug. "You sure you wanna' do this? Violence ain't even my thing, man. But you messin' with a friend of mine." Cage is trying to talk this one down. "A friend of mine that owes me a dinner." Will it work?! Will words be stronger than fists?!

Psylocke has posed:
    The sound of the dumpster being opened is loud in the alleyway. The lid is flipped up by a woman clnging to the side of the metal contraption. She is draped in shadows, mostly invisible to those in the alleyway. For a moment, the ninja within can't believe his good fortune. He leaps upward, climging to the edge and preparing to escape. Something makes him look up. A whisper of sound for there is nothing else. An instant later, another black clad figure lands atop the one who was about to escape, the pair of them disappearing back into the dumpster. The lid is dropped closed and the woman flips up ontop, drawing herself up to her full height as she stands there watching the fight.
    Psylocke doesn't bother joining the fray. They are doing just fine without her help. They just hadn't known about that one with the longbow up above so she felt it was only fair to eliminate him. She simply watches. After all, it was only four to two. Not even something that will break a sweat for the heroes.

Daredevil has posed:
    There is no negotiating with the Hand. There is rarely, if ever, even dialogue with them. Though the one remaining brings his blade around in hand, snapping into stance before not just Daredevil, or Luke, but this newcomer as well. This newcomer that he seems to recognize with the way his eyes widen. But then that look of surprise is short-lived as his gaze narrows, fanatical resolve takes its place as he scowls.
    Daredevil holds out his hand and says, "You don't have to do this. Others have escaped from them. You don't have to be alone." The man in red steps to the side, turning his head slightly as if trying to hear something distantly. But he frowns and shakes his head, "Please..."
    But then the answer that comes from the ninja is not one that any of them wish to have witnessed, and might surprise Luke Cage. For the bladesman reverses his sword abruptly and /drops/ onto it, letting the sword slash up and into his abdomen as he falls on the weapon. Then it gives a jolt as he drops a little further onto it, a coughing gagging noise coming from him as well.
    And then the fallen begin to smoulder.
    "No!" Daredevil frowns then straightens up and he turns to shift his attention towards Psylocke as he says quickly. "Bad news follows you around."

Luke Cage has posed:
    Cage narrows his eyes and then even tries to rush to stop the person from taking their own life but he's too slow. He's just not fast enough to make sure that the person survives. He sighs and lowers his gaze to the ground for a moment of silence, even though these are the same people that were just trying to kill him and Daredevil. "Every time." is muttered under his breath. All he wants to do is help people and it never works out the way he wants it to.

    Cage finally turns back around to look at the others and raises an eyebrow at the newcomer. And then he looks at Daredevil. Then back to the newcomer. Then back to Daredevil. "Hey. If she's the /real/ reason you ain't pick up... we can call it even." Cage is teasing just a bit to lighten up the load of the dead and smoldering ninjas of doom. He offers a nod towards Psylocke, "I'm Luke Cage." As if he just expects everyone to know about him. From the papers. Or whatever. He's street famous!

Psylocke has posed:
    That earns an arched violet brow as Psylocke flips off the dumpster to land on the ground, not glancing at the disintegrating Hand ninjas. There is no distress in her expressions or her body language. What happened was a given, in her mind. Not that she thinks about the Hand as an average person might. Any normal person would find it horrifying.
    "Actually, you were fighting with them before I arrived so I could say the same to you," she returns flatly, her British accent sharp and somewhat at odds with her Japanese appearance. "But next time I'll let the guy on the roof take a few shots at you instead of helping out." Her lips twist up in smile. "You're welcome."
    She turns her head toward Luke, smile still in place. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cage. I'm known as Psylocke."

Daredevil has posed:
    "No," Matt covers his nose a little as the ninjas burn themselves up, leaving ashen outlines that begin to scatter with the brush of the wind. But then he answers Luke calmly, though with a little bit of wryness, "Not this time at least." He offers with a faint smile but he does seem off his game, the Hand's casual disdain for their own lives never sitting well with him at all.
    Shaking his head he turns back towards Psylocke and asks her, "Let me guess, on your way to warn me about them, just a little too late." He frowns as he rubs at his left elbow, favoring it slightly as he steps back and to the side, to incorporate both of them in a triangle for this conversation.

Luke Cage has posed:
    "I'm gettin' a little tired of these dudes poppin' up everywhere I like to hang out. These fools gonna' be in Harlem before long. And I ain't havin' that." Cage is speaking both to Pyslocke and Daredevil at this point. He's pretty sure that they can figure out how to make his next inquiry happen. "So if anybody has any bright or dim ideas on how to stop these fools... I'm all ears." There's the sudden cracking of his knuckles too. "And fists." It's pretty obvious that these dudes are starting to annoy the hell out of Luke.

Psylocke has posed:
    The purple haired woman goes very still, eyes narrowing slightly at that comment from Daredevil. That sounded a little too close to an accusation. She doesn't respond verbally. Instead, she ignores him, turning her attention to Luke's inquiry. "These were new recruits, I think. They weren't very skilled at least. So they are starting to throw the bottom of the barrel out. It makes me think they are pulling the heavy hitters for something else or there have been enough eliminated in this area that they are choosing to err on the side of caution. To wear down the guardian of Hell's Kitchen." She looks pointedly at Daredevil.
    "Your best bet is if they find some place else more interesting."
    Or someone. She doesn't speak those words, playing her card close to her chest.

Daredevil has posed:
    The man in red frowns, head lowering slightly as he crosses his arms over his chest, the leather and kevlar creaking as he shakes his head. "I do get the feeling this is an opening gambit, or something else is distracting them." He lifts his head slightly in Luke's direction and asks, "What passed with Fist?" He asks, though perhaps sensing some possible measure of hesitation he'll explain, "Psylocke used to be one of them. Escaped their control."
    There's a beat as Matt lowers his head slightly, then perhaps in the interest of full disclosure he adds, "Also she reads minds." There, that should give Luke something to think about even as Matt turns his attention back towards the purple ninja. "Have you been drawing their attention of late? They seem to have been more active this last several weeks."

Luke Cage has posed:
    "Huh." Luke says this without a moment of hesitation. And he immediately starts thinking about how he doesn't have anything to hide. Which probably makes him seem like he's got something to hide. So it just becomes this big circle of him trying to think about not having anything to hide because there might be someone reading everything he's thinking at this very moment. It's awkward.

    "I don't accept that. Every problem has a solution. Even The Hand." Cage looks at Psylocke. "What if we did whatever you did but to all of 'em? We find a way to make everyone escape and then guess what, no Hand." Cage is thinking out loud now. "Is there an antidote or an ancient scroll or something?"

    The question about Fist is tabled for the moment. If only because Luke is more worried about stopping The Hand right this moment. "I'll catch you up later."

Psylocke has posed:
    "I didn't do anything specific that can be taught. I believe it was a mix of my telepathic abilities," she looks pointedly at Daredevil when she says those words before focusing on Luke again. "Which I am not using on you, because that would be rude. At times a surface thought might come through but I'm not trying to read either of your minds. As I was saying, I believe it was my willpower and my telepathic abilities. Not all Hand warriors have much willpower to begin with. They are more followers, those with weaker dispositions. There are a few exceptions."
    Her gaze goes back to Daredevil. "I have not been drawing their attention. I had noticed they were spending more time around here, seemingly after you."
    She doesn't share that she intends to change that. Time for the Hand to find a more appealing target. One that slipped from their grasp.

Daredevil has posed:
    Daredevil turns his head slightly towards Luke and gives a nod as the man speaks, backing the sentiment of his words. But then when Ms. Braddock replies he holds up a hand slightly, as if trying to stay the situation as a whole, or at least hold it off long enough to get a hold of it. "There has to be some way, something other than all out war. I can't believe that the only way we can resolve things with them is to..." He gestures to the side slightly, even as some of the ashes of the fallen bladesmen have taken to the air on the slight breeze in that alleyway.
    "Is there a leader of the Clan? A central figure of strength? Someone who could be challenged, defeated..." There's a pause, "Or a second who would be a better leader?"
    It truly is clear that they are really in many ways fumbling in the dark. Not having much intel on them, even with Psylocke's aid.

Luke Cage has posed:
    "Sounds like they want a war. And as much as I don't want one, I'll give 'em one hell of a fight if they come near me and mine." Cage doesn't seem to be happy about the possibility of such shenanigans happening. Not when there are so many people that could end up hurt. But he's definitely just trying to get a lay of the land. "We've been getting hit from all sides. Me. Iron Fist. Jessica. It's..." Cage tries to shrug it off. "It's like they're throwing rocks at our nest to see if we swarm." That's his observation, anyway.

Psylocke has posed:
    "They usually have smaller cells under a leader. I have no idea who is in this area or why. It is something I can try to look into." Psylocke glances away, toward the ground where there is nothing left of the werriors from earlier. "I will see if I can get information from a few the next time. Before they have a chance to destroy themselves. In a manner a bit more intrusive than physical violence."
    If they know anything , she will find out. It all depends on if they know anything. She should be able to work her way up the chain. She hopes.
    "I am curious what they are working on here. You said you were interfering with their business the last time we met. That they were after you because of it? What, precisely, had they been working on?" He may not even know. It's all shooting in the dark.

Daredevil has posed:
    The frown on Matt's features darkens all the more as he shakes his head slightly, "My teacher has had dealings with them in the past. It could be from that angle, competition of a sort. But they also had a hand in human trafficking the last time they had a presence here." The Daredevil steps to the side and touches a hand to the surface of that garbage bin that now holds the remains of one of the Hand, seeming pensive as he taps a fingertip upon it.
    He turns his head back towards Luke and murmurs, "I'm going to be a jerk, Cage." He says this and his friend can probably already guess what's coming. He's not going to be grabbing a dinner any time soon. "I need to head river side, check a few things out."
    He shifts his stance to face more towards Psylocke, "You work it from your end, then get back to me." He probably meant to ask that, really.

Luke Cage has posed:
    "Figures."

    Cage looks around for a moment and then reaches into his pocket to make sure that he's still got his Metro Card. "You owe me bus fare." This is tossed at Daredevil before he starts heading off down the alley because he's got to try and make it to the next bus. "I'll call Iron Fist. Looks like it's time for this band to make a little more music." Luke lowers his head. "Nope. scratch that. You didn't hear me say that." He offers a quick headnod in Pyslocke's direction and to both of them: "... Later." And then Luke Cage is off to make the hero's journey... by bus... back to Harlem.

Psylocke has posed:
    Psylocke nods at the request, because it was a request and not an order, then turns from the pair. She doesn't head for the end of the alley. There is a flare of a red, triangular tattoo over her left eye. An instant late, she steps into the shadows by the dumpster. Literally. It is as though she is stepping through the shadows, disappearing into them as easily as someone walks through a door.
    One moment she is there, the next she is gone.