2787/Franchise Inspection

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Franchise Inspection
Date of Scene: 10 October 2017
Location: Unknown
Synopsis: Summary needed
Cast of Characters: Shatterpoint, Nightwing




Shatterpoint has posed:
    The news reports are getting somewhat less frequent, but at the same time, they retain their brutality. Earlier in the night, the Bat-fam scanners and information network as a whole would have picked up, easily, the most recent activity. Canary, apparently, came upon what looked like a mugging- or worse- over in the Narrows. What she found was a single victim, a well dressed female around five foot six, surrounded by a group of known criminals.

    The result of this encounter was three criminals incapacitated, and three criminals wounded. Several hours have passed since then, and the lead's jaw has been partially reconstructed. The other two that were crippled are projected to be able to walk again following some years' physical therapy and various forms of psychiatric assistance.

    If Nightwing is out prowling for the person Canary- and the various criminal entities involved- would have described, he finds her relatively quickly. Gotham's seedy areas are only so large, and it's only been so long. She's wandering her way around the better parts of town, now- not as aimlessly as it might seem, but more akin to some sort of... Route. Some kind of patrol, even. Might be something to look into, if Nightwing has access to the batcomputer's analyzation, he might be able to find some sort of connection.

Shatterpoint has posed:
    The news reports are getting somewhat less frequent, but at the same time, they retain their brutality. Earlier in the night, the Bat-fam scanners and information network as a whole would have picked up, easily, the most recent activity. Canary, apparently, came upon what looked like a mugging- or worse- over in the Narrows. What she found was a single victim, a well dressed female around five foot six, surrounded by a group of known criminals.

    The result of this encounter was three criminals incapacitated, and three criminals wounded. Several hours have passed since then, and the lead's jaw has been partially reconstructed. The other two that were crippled are projected to be able to walk again following some years' physical therapy and various forms of psychiatric assistance.

    If Nightwing is out prowling for the person Canary- and the various criminal entities involved- would have described, he finds her relatively quickly. Gotham's seedy areas are only so large, and it's only been so long. She's wandering her way around the better parts of town, now- not as aimlessly as it might seem, but more akin to some sort of... Route. Some kind of patrol, even. Might be something to look into, if Nightwing has access to the batcomputer's analyzation, he might be able to find some sort of connection.

Nightwing has posed:
    The word had been getting around the Narrows, more than normal. There are always noises, rumours, things that lurk in the shadows that the innocent and the ill both fear. The Bat is one thing, a creature that looms large in the mythology of the city, always whispered about by the city's denizens. But these last rumours, the last hints of someone else... something else, they had been gaining steam as well as credibility.
    The report had come in over the network, just the bare details from Canary, but enough to connect the dots, put in some time to narrow down the likely route. Then to follow it during the dark hours of the early morning in Gotham's night. He follows that route, making note of the points where it might cross with one or two possible informants. Those will be visited, pressed for information though not as severely as the Batman might.
    But it doesn't take long once Nightwing has followed the trail. No bread crumbs lead to her. Only broken jaws, shattered limbs, and pain.

Shatterpoint has posed:
    The route itself is not impossible to recognize, at least in where it will lead. It is coherent, though, so there might be some merit as to whether or not there's some sort of rationale to it. Possibly worth checking out, if Grayson wants to check out that sort of thing.

    Regardless, easier to follow is the trail of agony and broken bones. Gotham is not a quiet city, on any night. As well, this woman is suspicious, in every way. What's worse, is that there's a lot of activity that is specifically tied to whoever Canary described that is making things difficult for everyone involved. Fact is, lowlives are traveling in packs, and they're arming up. It won't be long before the amateur or the lightly armored of Gotham's Midnight Crew finds themselves up against someone with an assault rifle, or worse- five someones armed with several assault rifles. All of the men apprehended earlier in the night were armed, after all

    She's dressed plainly, like an office worker from some bygone era like the fifties or sixties, with her button-up and slacks. It's not out of place in this neighborhood, but it's also not at all the right time to be coming home from the office.

    She matches every beat that Canary may have mentioned- not too tall. Biz-cas. Hands in her pockets, walking along almost like she's -looking- for someone to take the bait.

Nightwing has posed:
    It's a difference in body language. That is the main thing that draws his eyes to her. Not just the way she looks in place, and yet out of place. But the way she moves, something almost predatory speaks to the way he perceives the woman's movements. Many of the martial artists he's learned from, matched himself against... they would tell him of times they could sense another. He always thought it was mostly superstition, though perhaps some of the higher tier artists might be able to.
    But now, for some reason... something about her.
    The angle was a clean approach. Dropping from the roof of the old textile building that became apartments twenty years ago. He lands on the rooftop of a dry cleaners, the pipes providing a faint cover of steam as he crosses the rooftop with silent steps. For a moment he's a dark blur of a silhouette darting across that rooftop, and then he lands in the alleyway with his legs cushioning his fall silently.
    Rising to his feet it's just in time as she passes the alleyway's entrance. That's when she'll hear his voice, "Morning. Got a second?" A curiously easy-going tone and offering of words... to be coming from a man in an alleyway.

Shatterpoint has posed:
    This is twice tonight that she's been approached by someone dressed in a way that she wasn't sure was possible. First, Canary's fishnet and now this man's fightin' trousers. It was certainly a new experience for Earth. However, she doesn't show her surprise, harnessing her memories regarding Apokolips denizen's garish garb.

    There is a silence that is, at this point, to be expected. Canary mentioned that she didn't give a name or any other method of contact. She didn't even say a word. However, she acknowledges Nightwing with her glowing-eyed gaze and waits, silently, for whatever he is going to say. Apparently, she has a second or two.

Nightwing has posed:
    In the shadows of the alley, the young man in that black armored uniform would be barely a silhouette to a passerby. His stance unthreatening in a way, though he seems to keep his balance evenly distributed and ready, as if set to move instantly yet not trying to grant that impression. The domino mask hides his eyes, but his features are calm as he looks to her, gaze tilting to the side slightly, then back to those glowing eyes.
    "You're making an impact in Gotham. I'd like to know what your deal is." A tilt the other way, "Who you are." His hands rest upon his hips as he tries to open the discussion with her. "Since in the past we've had problems with people trying to help. Trying to make a difference. Good intentions and all that. So it often takes a turn."
    Nightwing is... a bit more tolerant than the Batman. This conversation would be a lot shorter with the man as he'd simply tell her to get out of his city. But the former Robin, he tries to reason more often than not.

Shatterpoint has posed:
    There is a long, almost arduous to endure, pause. She stares at him, through him even, for the longest time. She was confronted about this by Canary. She's heard mumblings from the various people she's turned into human stacks of broken twigs. This isn't her city anymore, nor is it the GCPD's. She has been learning that the whole time through.

    When she does speak, it's... Eerie. Chilling. Apparently she can, despite what Canary likely attested to. The voice that comes from her is more of a rattle, like something that is dying is trying to make words happen and just barely succeeding.

    "Justice."

Nightwing has posed:
    Nightwing's brow furrows and he gives a nod, "We all want justice." He says, perhaps a little quieter than he normally would. He has seen many things in his time as a vigilante, aliens, gods, the supernatural. But this woman sets him on edge and he shakes his head slightly. "But this city..." He gestures to the side slowly, leather gauntlet creaking faintly as he makes that motion. "It's a complex thing, interconnected. What you have been doing..."
    There's a pause as he looks her in the eyes, then he says quietly, "How you've been doing it. It's causing ripples. Heightening things. Some of the gangs are arming up, there's the sound of war drums. The lash back will probably be strong," A tilt of his head slightly, a small frown, "And you might be able to handle it. But a lot of innocents will get caught in the crossfire."
    For a moment there's silence between them, just the faint sound of the distant traffic. Then he tells her quietly, "But work with me. Give me time. And you'll get justice, and hopefully without any innocent falling as well."

Shatterpoint has posed:
    Fact is, Caroline -is- unsettling. She probably will be for the rest of her life- that is to say, until some time after the death of the universe. Maybe longer than that. It's another sympathetic voice that's almost treating her like a child- it doesn't make her angry, but it does do less for Nightwing's cause than intended.

    "I can't do nothing."

    He did head one of her arguments off at the pass. She can handle it. However, she's also not simple, and not without foresight. If these gangs continue to arm up, it would be more and more difficult, if not impossible, to keep innocent people out of harm's way. Part of her thought that there was no way people back on Earth had weapons anywhere near what she's seen.

    Back then, you might find a punk with- gasp- a revolver. Now, she's seen things that fire three-hundred rounds a minute, and that sort of power is in the hands of people that have no idea what that kind of destructive capability really means. A few hours ago, she was relatively certain that gangs getting more violent meant bigger bats, maybe some with nails in them, some more pistols. Things like that. She was wrong.

    Now, she can't really refuse the terms. She just needs to know them.

    "Time to do what?"

    Her voice hitches, lingers on syllables just half a second or more too long. It's unnerving. Highly disconcerting. Is she even human?

Nightwing has posed:
    He didn't realize he had perhaps been holding his breath, gauging her reaction, perhaps half expecting for things to go south quickly. When it doesn't he gives her a nod, acknowledging her first words as his hand lifts as if to stay her objection. "I wouldn't expect you to do nothing."
    The young vigilante steps to the side, back into the alleyway in the very distant and off chance that someone might be nearby. Just a measure of safety that has been drilled into him to be taken when possible. Those irisless eyes of that domino mask meet her gaze and he tells her, "Tell me who you are, why you're doing this... give me some way to contact you, to arrange a meet. Perhaps we can work together. If we come at them from different angles they won't have one person, one thing to rally against. They can be handled and taken down."
    After that his expression hardens slightly as he tries to perhaps impart the weight of the moment, the severity. "Batman will want to meet you." And then... that'll be telling.

Shatterpoint has posed:
    There are a lot of questions there. Problem is, she isn't interested in answering any of them. However, there is one prospect that is quite intriguing to her- meeting this Batman, if he even properly exists. Could all just be a hoax, like some of them seem to believe.

    "Here. Nightly."

    Well, at least he has some frame of reference for when, but there's not a lot of information there. She'll be there, though, like clockwork. Almost as if she doesn't rest. Her hands slide into her pockets. She's ready to go, if he's ready to let her leave. He may have other things to say.

Nightwing has posed:
    The young man's brow furrows again, but for now that'll have to do. If there had been fatalities he'd have been cleared to engage and try to take her down, but for now with how things are... the situation is a wait and see, and now hopefully there's an avenue to advance down with the Batman.
    He gives her a nod and then tells her, "Same time," Even as the black clad vigilante steps further back into the alleyway, getting some distance between himself and her. There's a moment where he lifts a hand in departure, and then he turns. This is definitely going down in the books as one of the weirder meet and greets.
    Who knows? Perhaps in a year's time he'll look back on this moment, amused at the tension in the first encounter with one Caroline Ramsey. But somehow, he doesn't think so. With those thoughts playing at the corners of his mind, he takes a few quick steps, and launches himself gracefully up the side of the wall to snare the lowest rung on the fire escape ladder. A few moments later and he's gone.