2721/Doubleback

Doubleback
Date of Scene:	06 October 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Bishop, Wu

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Bishop has posed:
    The alleys of Gotham. Places where deals take place, robberies happen, and criminals lurk, using them as backroads away from the bright lights of the main streets, and the patrols of GCPD cars and the occasional observation blimp overhead.

    But others hunt. Vigilantes are thick in Gotham, and necessary to trim back the crime that further darkens the city. But some are more selective in their hunts. And less interested in keeping quiet once they've spotted their prey.

    Which is why the explosion followed by a body coming flying through the window of a supposedly closed (and boarded up) store might come as a shock, as a large green woman with antennae and beetle like wings leaps through after the now groaning human missile, before booking it down the alley as she narrowly avoids a concussive blast that puts a crater in the wall across from the broken storefront, followed by a dark, muscular shape vaults through the shattered window, giving chase.

Wu has posed:
    Booking it down Crime Alley where even the hardened tread carefully. And where Alice walks casually down the middle, chewing on some kind of stick the rough size of a matchstick or toothpick.
    Defcon 3: the boom of an explosion where even in Gotham there shouldn't be one. Hands reach into a vest in a practiced gesture.
    Defcon 2: the boom is paired with a flying body. One still groaning. There's a story in that. The hands come out attached to a pair of well-maintained, chromium-plated handguns. Eyes seek a target.
    Defcon 1: Green woman? Beetle wings? Antennae? Further blasts? Guns waver as green woman and dark shape make uncertain which to target before settling on "one from column A, one from column B".
    Alice spits out whatever she was chewing on (a bamboo toothpick) and calls out, "Freeze! Gotham City Police Department!"
    She has experience. She punctuates this immediately with two shots sent sailing very close to both targets.
    Then the green lady bowls her over in her rush to escape.
    "Nobody ever damned well freezes!" Alice fumes.

Bishop has posed:
    The dark figure does a stutter step as the pistol points its way, dodging well out of the way out of the bullet with inhuman speed...or superhuman speed, at least. To add insult to injury, the very large man (as Alice can see when he gets closer) vaults right over her in pursuit of the big bad beetle woman, who pauses to pick up a dumpster, then hurls it towards the pursuer as he dives forwards, rolling as it crashes to the ground and skidding to a halt several feat from Alice.

    This time, he opens fire, drawing a pistol from a holster and sending a plasma bolt down range in a brilliant flash of orange as it lances into a garbage can the woman is lifting to throw after the dumpster, blowing it apart in a sharp explosion.

Wu has posed:
    "It's going to be one of those nights," Alice mutters. Incongruously, in place of seeking cover, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out a sheaf of papers, riffling through them as she moves to a crouch from her supine position. Finding the one she wants, she crumples it into a tight ball and tosses it lightly into the air.
    She then averts her eyes.
    Observant people may note this.
    As the paper reaches the top of its ballistic arc it blossoms into a noiseless, heatless, explosion of light, rather like being caught on the inside of a small nuclear explosion, only without the killer pressure wave, the gamma flash, or any of the other lethal bits. Just the all-encompassing light. Light that catches the green woman, at least, unawares, causing her to drop the fire escape ladder she was detaching as a missile and claw at her eyes.
    "I meant it when I said 'Freeze!', Alice says in a loud voice. "Next one hurts."
    Her guns are aimed again as she rises, still one per target.
    "You don't want the painful one."

Bishop has posed:
    The taller male figure winces away from the light for a moment as it flashes, washing over him...but doesn't seem to even phase him as his eyes promptly focus on you. He's....huge. Nearly seven feet at least, and dressed in what looks like a dark blue uniform, with a red bandana and what look like some sort of advanced pistol.

    Despite that, he doesn't point said pistol towards you, rumbling. "Same side, officer. She's a criminal. Let me restrain her and I'll explain." He starts to move towards the woman in question, who is still holding her eyes and stumbling around, as his free hand reaches into one of the pouches slung under his shoulder, pulling out a small disk.

Wu has posed:
    One of the things that differentiates a good cop from a bad is instinct. Alice's eyes quickly flick over Bishop in an apraising rake. They touch the pistol. The uniform look. She decides.
    The second gun joins the first to cover the green woman, her feet move to flank position to cover the woman even as Bishop closes in.
    "I'm going to be really disappointed," she mutters, "if I chose wrong."

Bishop has posed:
    Bishop grunts a bit noncommitally at that, wandering over, as he presses a button on the back of the disk, which extends a series of antennae like...legs? Then slaps it on the still blinded beetle woman, stepping back.

    There's an immediate reaction as the disk glow brightly, as an odd bluish-purple electricity starts to dance over the woman as she shrieks. 'No! NO! I'm NOT GOING BACK! NOT GOING-" There's a bright flash as the energy spreads to cover her as she wails out. "BBBBBBBAAAAAAaaaaaaack - *" The sound dopplers as if she's falling down a deep pit...then she simply vanishes, leaving a slightly steaming crater where she was standing. And the little disk, glowing on the ground, which the large man leans down to scoop up, pressing the button as the antennae retract, then tucking it back in place as he holsters his pistol.

Wu has posed:
    That ... is a bit unnerving. One of Alice's guns swivels to point back at Bishop while the other is hastily re-holstered, her hand then proceeding to fumble in her pocket to pull out ...
    ...a carving? It looks like a carved white substance--bone? ivory?--in a rectangular plaque with a relief of some kind of figure with a bladed weapon suspended from a chain of white beads.
    "I think this is the point," she says, her voice calmer than her body language, "where you start with the explanations."

Bishop has posed:
    The large man rumbles a bit, then says. "She's an escapee. Prisoner. Criminal. I sent her back where she's supposed to be." While he's not being actively evasive, it isn't hard to sense he's leaving things out. He studies the card curiously, standing easily, arms at his side. "She's not dead. Not seriously hurt, though she's going to be heaving up her guts for a bit when she gets there. It's..." There's a flash of white teeth in a smile. "...disconcerting."

Wu has posed:
    "Indeed. Disconcerting. I can't see how that might be." Alice's voice is dead calm now, her body language relaxing a bit. Almost as if surprised by seeing it there, she politely points the gun downward.
    Not reholstered, mind.
    "I'm at least passingly familiar," she continues, "with most law enforcement agencies in the world. And I'm very familiar with the ones permitted to operate on US soil." She gestures briefly with the bead-adorned, card-carrying hand. "I don't recognize the outfit. I'm not saying I don't believe you. I'm saying I need convincing."
    She hazards a brief glance over her shoulder and back. "So let's find a place to talk that doesn't have quite so many ears as this alley."

Bishop has posed:
    There's a moment of tenseness there, as the man doesn't immediately make a move to go where you indicate. His dark eyes watching you, considering, as if pondering his options. Still...she's just doing her job. He can't fault her for that, and she doesn't seem triggerhappy." ...I suppose we can do that." he says finally, relaxing slightly as he walks towards the street outside. "Where's quieter, then?" he asks, simply.

Wu has posed:
    Alice relaxes more visibly now. The handgun goes back into its holster.
    The carving does not. The necklace of beads instead goes around her neck.
    "Here is fine, actually," she says. "Just give me a moment to prepare." The sheaf of papers once again comes out and she ruffles through them before pulling one out. This one she licks the back of and sticks to a nearby flat surface--a faded, grime-covered plaque that commemorates some famous death or another that happened locally. The diagonally-placed piece of rice paper has a large Chinese character on it, positioned upside-down for those who can read it, surrounded by a circle of smaller characters written around it in a very cursive style.
    Almost immediately the outside world ... shrinks away. It doesn't look farther away, but the brain insists that it is. And that it is now in black and white. And that its noises are commensurately far away, fading into nothingness.
    A small circle, of about three metre's radius, is the only part left that feels normal.
    "We can talk openly now. Alice Gulliver. Detective Alice Gulliver of the Hong Kong Police. Attached to and deputized by the Gotham City Police Department."
    She extends her hand for a shake.

Bishop has posed:
    The big man hrmmms, then reaches out to take the hand. He's got a strong grip, but doesn't use it to try and crush your hand or overpower you for intimdiation or such. It's a firm grip, but that's it. "Bishop." he rumbles, after a slight pause. "Can't tell you much more than that. Other than I have jurisdiction over Green Meanie back there, and some others." His eyes are serious, narrowing. "I've been hunting them to return them before they can cause too much damage."

Wu has posed:
    "Off-planet, then?" Alice asks, eyeing the effect around her. "I ... think perhaps there may be someone trying to watch us. This is not normal for the cone of silence."
    Cone of silence. Said with a straight face.
    "It appears to be holding, however, it's just ... interesting. This is not common."
    She shakes her head. "What is, precisely, your jurisdiction then?" she asks. "And who do you liase with on Earth?"

Bishop has posed:
    The tall man looks around, folding his muscular arms across his broad chest. "Handy trick." he admits, then pauses. "...it's me. Energy fields react odd around me." he says after a moment. He's not -too- keen on expanding on that, at least for someone he's only just met. But no reason not to explain what's causing it before the detective across from him assumes worse things. "Might not last as long, too." His lips twitch a bit at the question about alien origins, his eyes getting a faint glint of humor. "Something like that. Long way from here." he confirms. In time if not in space.

Wu has posed:
    "You'll forgive me, then," Alice says, "if I don't take your word for it directly. Explosions, green women, some kind of 'disorienting' travel system. Heavy arms. Is there any way for me to verify your standing as law enforcement?"
    She's being pretty brazen faced with grossly superior firepower and strength. Bravado and fronting? "Honestly you're not in my ... uh ... purview, but I can inform those in whose purview you are. I'd rather not, however, make things uncomfortable." Beat. "For both of us, I'd wager," she adds with a rueful grin.

Bishop has posed:
    Those dark eyes regard you quietly, thoughful. Measuring as he frowns at you. He doesn't seem particular threatening in his stance...other than the fact he's just a huge dude in general. "No." he says finally, in that low basso voice of his. "Sorry." He seems a bit regretful about that, but firm. "I can't risk telling you more without a damn good reason." He inclines his head towards you. "So. Where's that leave us?" He's slightly tenser now. Not moving towards attacking or fleeing...but on guard.

Wu has posed:
    Alice purses her lips as she surveys Bishop a while, thinking so hard you can practically smell the smoke.
    "You have secrets. That's fine. We all do. I'm not interested in them except a particular variety which you painfully obviously don't involve."
    She pauses, narrowing her eyes a bit. She then gestures to the rice paper on the wall.
    "That's not my only trick. I can put a cousin of it on your forehead. I can then ask a question and you will answer it. Honestly. Well, I could ask dozens if I liked, but I will ask you only one. You'd have to accept my word on that. If the answer is to my satisfaction, I will remove the paper and we will be able to continue as colleagues. If it isn't, I will remove the paper and we will have to continue on as we are."
    She locks gazes with Bishop. "Your decision. You'll have to trust a stranger to touch your mind only once. If you can tolerate this, we will definitely be able to break the impasse."

Bishop has posed:
    Bishop tilts his head, frowning. "...might not work." he rumbles. "Same reasons as your cone of silence." He shrugs. "But if it did, what question were you planning on asking? Because I still can't answer some questions. And I'm not gonna promise to answer honestly a question I can't respond to." He's very matter-of-fact about saying it. Even a bit regretful.

Wu has posed:
    Alice nods. "I'll work around the interference, don't worry. It's what I do." She smiles briefly. It's an honest smile that even reaches her eyes before it gets squelched and her face goes back to its professional, neutral mask. "The question I'll ask will be this: 'Are you working as, for, or with law enforcement for the protection of the civilian populace?'. I will swear on whatever I hold holy, or on whatever you hold holy should you require it, that this will be the only question I ask."

Bishop has posed:
    The dark-skinned man hmms, reaching up to absently scratch at his goatee as he considers. "...alright." he decides finally. "Go ahead." He step over closer then takes a seat on a pile of old pallets, so he's closer to your level so you don't have to stretch to put this paper on his forehead. He looks a bit bemused, but game. "Then ask away." His hands rest on his knee. Up close, your keen eyes will note the patch and the...badge?...on his belt. Both bear a black X on a red background. Not necessarily a familiar insignia, but an easy to remember one.

Wu has posed:
    "Alright then. This shouldn't hurt. If it does, don't be a tough guy. Tell me. Itf it's hurting, it's doing bad damage."
    With those reassuring words Alice pulls out her sheaf of rice papers again. She looks at the one on the wall and at the strange distortions of the field around them. Two papers are selected, then, one crumpled and tossed to the ground. Her free hand clutches an amulet of jade suspended from around her neck by red silk thread. She looks carefully around her with an analytical eye.
    "I'm impressed," she says, looking at Bishop with new respect. "You are the source of the interference. But it appears to be localized. I can account for that for a short time; long enough to ask the question and get the answer."
    From her right pocket she pulls out an incredibly mystical instrument: a sharpie. She adds a few characters to the paper, squinting at the result, then modifying here and there.
    "Not pretty. Not durable. But it should be enough," she decides. "And remember, if this hurts, TELL ME."
    The paper is gently pressed against Bishop's forehead, sticking in place from its own glutinous character mixed with the traces of sweat from his pores. A feeling of peace, of trust, and of a willingness to satisfy the kind, friendly, and above all trustworthy woman across from her starts to invade his mind.
    "Are you working as, for, or with law enforcement for the protection of the civilian populace?" the angel asks him, her face glowing with compassion, understanding, and empathy.

Bishop has posed:
    There's a faint shrug at the confirmation, but otherwise Bishop doesn't respond to being the source. After all, he sort of figured he was, and the laconic man isn't big on repeating himself. He does hold still as the sheet of paper is stuck in place, waiting patiently for the question to be asked as his power starts draining the charm immediately. "I am working as law enforcement for the protection of the civilian populace." he says, rather than a simple yes or no. It's all about the wording, after all. He -technically- is not working for the XSE in this time period...or possibly in his own, depending how they took to him going off the reservation to steal the time device to go into the past. He sort of suspects that's majorly against regulations. But working as law enforcement...that is entirely true.

Wu has posed:
    The angel appears conflicted, as if she wants to ask more. And of course Bishop wants to please the angel, show her his trust in her! But the angel sighs and keeps her word, peeling the paper from his forehead.
    "That's good enough for me," Alice decides, the angel vanishing instantly in her favour before him. "I made a promise and I keep to it. Glad to have you on-side, Bishop. Just ... please keep the noise down a bit? It's going to take me a bit to cook up that explosion as a gas leak or something."

Bishop has posed:
    There's a faint twitch to Bishop's lips. "...it seems like gunfire and explosions are pretty common in this town." he says, a bit dryly. "But I'll keep that in mind when I'm here." he allows. "Can't promise more than that. Some of the ones I'm hunting aren't going to hold back if they realize I'm on their trail."

Wu has posed:
    "They are. I prefer they not be traced to where I am, however," Alice says with a laugh. "As a visiting agent I'm more carefully monitored than a beat cop or regular detective." All of her paraphrenalia: the white beads and relief-carved placard, the paper off the wall, all get removed and secreted in her pocket or crumpled to nothingness and slipped into her jeans' watch pocket as appropriate. The outside world of noise and light rushes back in with surprising suddenness. Alice's hands practically sprout two business cards: one decorated in GCPD livery, the other with a different, but still very obviously official livery. "If you have these big ones, drop me a line. I can bring fire support to bear you might not otherwise have access to," she says. "For example, if I shoot, I don't miss. Ever."

Bishop has posed:
    Bishop looks thoughful, then takes the card, tucking it in a pouch. "Thanks." he rumbles quietly. "Can't hurt to have someone who can smooth things over or...help." He pauses, then shifts his right arm. Up close...you can notice a difference, as he steps into the more direct light coming from an overhead light by a nearby door. His right arm is very obviously metal. And you at the same time, you hear a beep from your phone. "You can use that code to contact me. I sent you a list of the criminals I'm looking for too." His eyes narrow. "They're all mutants. All very dangerous. Most with life sentences for a reason." He frowns. "You see any of them...you let me know. I'll be here to help deal with them before they can cause more harm." To the innocents...or the timeline.

Wu has posed:
    "Do they need to be turned over to you in one piece?" Alice asks, again appraisingly evaluating Bishop as new information comes to light. "If I see them and have the opportunity to incapacitate... or worse... would that suffice for your purposes?"
    She gestures to where the paper used to be on the wall. "I have more offensive versions of that. Or of that light blossom you saw earlier. If these people are dangerous to us, is it permitted to damage?"

Bishop has posed:
    Bishop's expression hardens. "If possible. If not...innocents come first. No one will miss any of them if you have to take them out. All of them have committed crimes that could buy them a death mark in a lot of countries." He nods slightly. "But let me know if you do. So I can mark them off the list."

    He pauses, then his eyes grow cold. "There's one on that list. Trevor Fitzroy. You see -any- sign of him....you let me know. And you don't take him on without me there. He's a serial killer. And his power is incredibly dangerous. Him..." His voice grates quietly. "Him, you take out. No warnings, no incapcitation unless you're damn sure it will be instant and absolute." Something in his voice suggests...for this man, it's VERY personal with Fitzroy.

    He steps away from you a bit, lifting his right arm as a holographic display flickers into existence, as a series of coordinates run across it quickly, another spot on a simulated Earth popping up...Madripoor? "...it was good to meet you detective. I'm not foolish enough to think I couldn't use a friendly ear or a bit of help. I appreciate it." He smiles faintly. "....see you around."

    There's a suddenly glow as a sphere of energy surrounds him, much like it surrounded the woman before...and when it vanishes, Bishop is gone as well, a neat circle glowing slightly on the cracked asphalt of the alley.

Wu has posed:
    "Seems time to update the arsenal a bit," Alice muses aloud as she eyes the circle before her feet. "The game has changed."
    Then, incongruously, "Where am I going to find water buffalo horn in this city?"