3962/Blind Man's Bluff

Blind Man's Bluff
Date of Scene:	25 February 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Lana comes to Matt Murdock's rescue they talk on the way home.
Cast of Characters:	Daredevil, Svetlana Kuznetsov

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Daredevil has posed:
Matt was running errands when he felt the men following him. At first, he thought it might be in real trouble, that one of his enemies had sent men to tail him or take him out but when he smelled the body odor and the acrid stench of meth, he knew it was just a mugging.

Thank god.

The men quickened their pace, their heartbeats quickening along with them...

Now comes the hard part.

Matt could feel them reaching for him from behind. He knew a dozen ways to break free and break a few bones in the process, but he let it come, shifting only slightly, so he takes a punch in the jaw and not the temple.

He's dragged into the mouth of an alley, and he can smell cold steel and rust as the knife is shoved up under his face. "Give us your phone and your wallet!" one of them demands, his voice high and tight. He was nervous.

"Right pocket," Matt says, his voice calm and steady. Odd for a blind guy, who just lost his cane, groceries, and been hauled into an alley.

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
Lana has been exploring in wider and wider circles from Lower Manhattan, thanks to the street educatio she's receiving from Darcy. And a monthly unlimited subway pass. Tonight she rode the train out to Clinton, a place she wouldn't know to call Hell's Kitchen.

The girl is walking along and admiring the architecture for the most part. Although another thing she is trying to do is eat at local restaurants wherever she goes.

According to a wonderful app on her phone (which is still a miracle of technology as far as she's concerned) there is a local diner around the corner. And that's when she sees the blind man being hauled into the alley.

Lana's moral education since her thawing out has admittedly been mixed. One of her closest confidantes is a former assassin known as the Winter Soldier. Then there's the Black Widow. She trains with a group of SHIELD soldiers.

And that's not even mentioning Darcy Lewis.

But Lana does know that isn't right to just stand by while a mugging is going on. She runs across the street after the group.

"You will let him go, and I will not harm you." the girl declares, in accented English. She looks like a teenager, dressed in clothes that are far too good for THIS neighborhood.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt's first instinct is to warn, young, Russian sounding voice away from the mugging, but after hearing the slow steady pace of her heart that spoke of years of exercise, and getting a sense of her stance, he changed his mind; it was the muggers who were in danger here.

The one with the knife holds tight to Matt's jacket, while the other moves towards Lana, making a grab for her arm. "You give us your shit too."

Matt braces for what's going to happen next, shifting his stance subtly, to be ready to avoid the knife when it comes.

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
The girl paces slowly closer, but doesn't do anything provocative until the guy reaches for her arm. Grabbing his wrist instead, the girl turns him swiftly and somehow shifts her weight to put him flat on his back.

With her booted foot on his throat, she asks calmly. "Will you give me the knife or must I take it from you?" Pausing for a second, she adds. "And if you hurt that man I will kill you where you stand. Choose quickly."

Daredevil has posed:
Thump. Matt hears the grabbing guy hit the cold concrete, he'd have a bruised tailbone and several other minor injuries from that. Then, the boot is ground into the man's throat, and Matt hears him gasp. There's no sympathy, for the man, but when Lana brings up killing, he knows he's got to do something. "I think she means it," Matt advises the guy with the knife. "Just put down th-"

"Shut up!" he shouts breath reeking of meth-rotted teeth. The knife is pulled back to stab and Matt gives him a hard shove with both hands, sending the man sprawling backwards open to attack.

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
The guy on the ground is going to spend a little while remembering how to breathe, and Matt's shove gives the girl all the opening she needs. Taking a couple of quick-running steps, she launches herself at the guy with the knife.

The results are surprising, and certainly unconventional. One foot uses his thigh as a step, launching herself up to swing her other leg around his neck. The full weight of her body overbalances him, and when he lands heavily on his back she has a firm hold on his knife-hand.

That's when the girl turns to Matt and asks, a bit too calmly. "Are you harmed?"

Daredevil has posed:
Matt's guess was right, the muggers were the ones flirting with danger by threatening the girl. He can feel the take down happen through his myriad senses, and it brings a smile to his lips. Man, were they ever out of their depth. Knife guy, goes down hard, knife immobilized by the hold on his weapon hand. The blade is left to drop to the ground.

"Fine," Matt answers Lana's question dusting himself off. "Just glad you happened along," he says with a grin that is both sheepish and charming. "Really saved my ass," he says, as he starts to feel his way forward. His foot just happening to step on the guy's leg. "Oh, sorry," he says as the knifeman yowls. Matt hides a smirk behind a wipe of his lips. "We should probably call the cops, get these guys picked up."

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
The girl sits on the knife-guy's chest, and only when he drops the knife does she get up. The blade is picked up, tucked away and confiscated. "I saw them pull you off the street. It would have been wrong for me to let them hurt you."

She smiles when Matt steps on one guy's leg, and approaches him more closely to offer a hand for help. "Here. Hold onto my arm. My name is Lana, as well." There's a light smell of sweat over the scent of basic deodorant. No perfume and likely no makeup either. Her pulse remains slow and steady.

Daredevil has posed:
"Glad you saw them," Matt says both being truthful and playing the part of the blind man. He could have handled the muggers, but Lana's skills and accent intrigued him, he welcomed the unexpected.."

When the arm is offered, Matt feels for it and then once its found, holds it gratefully. "Thank you," he says. "I'm Matt," he says as he takes in the continued steady heartbeat as another piece of the mystery, along with the strength he felt in her arm. His was strong as well, more like what one expects in Lana's world than some random blind guy in a business suit. "And are you okay? I couldn't see what happened, but I know they had a knife, they didn't cut you did they?" he asks.

The they in question, start to get up, and if they're not stopped, they sprint away (as much as they are able) sparing them a call to the cops.

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
Her arm is slender, yet very firm beneath the jacket. Lana hasn't been trained as an agent, but as a soldier. If she notices anything unusual in his strength it doesn't register with her. The girl smiles softly at his question. "No, I am not harmed." Her daily sparring sessions involve groups of 4 to 6 professional soldiers, after all.

"I am very glad I saw them as well, Matt." Lana pauses to look around, asking. "Do you have everything?" She does remember him offering his phone, after all. The groceries were dropped at the alley's entrance, which is where they're headed. "I will see that you get home safely, as well."

Daredevil has posed:
The two men bolt. Matt nose crinkles as he makes a note of their scent. He'd find them later and get them off the street. For now though, he turns his attention back to Lana. "I'm glad," he says when she tells him she's not hurt. "Are you a cop or something? Running off two guys like that."

When she asks, he checks his pockets, phone and wallet were there, as he knew they would be, "My groceries are probably a mess, but do you see my cane out there? They're a pain to find replacements for," he says, "And thank you, I'd appreciate the hand with getting home."

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
Svetlana shakes her head at the question, her arm solid for support. "No. Not a cop." she replies, without really answering the question. It's something she's been struggling with for some time, now. What IS she, anyway? "I am a soldier." she adds simply.

"I see your cane, and it looks like most of your food is still in the bag." the girl offers. And now that he's listened a while she sounds quite young. "Walk with me, and I will get them for you."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt notes the consideration of the words, "You don't sound sure about your career choice," he observes. "Good with voices," he says by way of explanation.

"And sure," he says. "Lead the way," he lets her take him to his groceries and cane. "And I don't want to assume, but I'm guessing you did your service in Russia?" he asks. "I used to know someone with a similar accent."

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
Svetlana shrugs at his statement. "I was trained as a soldier." she replies. "And you -are- good with voices. But there is no longer a war between the Sov-... Russia and America." Pausing to pick up the cane first, she puts the groceries back and holds the bag herself.

"I did not -serve- with anyone. I was trained, and then put aside when I was no longer needed." It's not an outright lie, but it's a rehearsed story with holes in it.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt catches that slip, and mulls it over, the Soviet Union was thirty-five years dead now, it was an odd slip considering how young Lana's voice sounded and how young she appeared to his other senses. If he was going to guess, he'd say twenty at the outside. "True," he says. "And I wasn't worried that you were a spy or anything, it'd be bad form to suspect the person who saved my life, or well, at least my wallet."

He takes the cane when offered, "So, was being put aside a good thing or a bad thing?" he says. "I can imagine how it would be frustrating, being trained for a thing and never been given the chance to do it, on the other hand, I've represented a lot of soldiers before, they've said, war wasn't one of the best experiences in their lives."

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
He has his cane back again, and Lana is carrying the groceries. "I am still sorting that out, yes." the girl admits. "On the one hand I have all this knowledge and training, but I can't use most of it. On the other hand, as you have said, war is a terrible thing."

There is something in what he says, then. "Represented? You are not a private investigator, are you? Because I've met one of those. I am not a spy, and I don't think that I would make a very good one." Lana smiles wryly and adds. "I am not very good at telling lies."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt allows himself to move more confidently once he has the cane as an excuse. "I can imagine," he says. "Though if you want my two cents any outcome where you don't have to go to war is a good one," he observes with a faint bit of a smile. "Though, as you can tell, I'm very much a civilian," he says waving a hand across his face.

"No, I'm something much worse," Matt says, letting that hang a moment for effect, "A lawyer," he says with a chuckle. "And if that PI you met? Her last name wouldn't be Jones by any chance?" he asks.

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
Svetlana nods to that. "I must agree with you there. It goes against what I was taught, but I am learning that the best weapon is one you do not need to use." Her arm tenses when he says he's worse than a PI, then she laughs with his admission.

"A lawyer. That is a noble profession, is it not?" Perhaps in earlier times it was, anyway. But lawyers were not common in communist Russia. "But no, his name was Sam. He also does card tricks, and he gave me his phone number."

Daredevil has posed:
"It's a good philosophy," Matt says. "My Dad, he taught me something similar, he was a boxer and sure, he showed me how to punch, but he never wanted me to use it. I think skills like yours are good to have and are all the better when you never have to use them," he says, before smiling good naturedly. "Except when saving guys from getting mugged in alleys of course."

He laughs warmly, "That depends on who you ask, I like to think it /can/ be a noble profession, I like to think I do it nobly, but for the most part people think we're just in it for the money, and in a lot of cases they're not wrong." He gives a further chuckle at the description of the PI. "Ah, definitely not the one I was thinking of then. I don't think Jessica knows any tricks, except maybe making whiskey disappear."

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
"Wait, your dad taught you how to box?" Lana asks, almost incredulously. "You were not always blind, then." It's a statement, not a question. "You don't sound like someone who is just in it for the money, either. Sam, the PI, told me he looks for jobs that are not boring like cheating spouses. But he is also not doing it only for the money."

Lana lets Matt guide them, expecting that the blind man knows where he's going. "Is this Jessica a friend of yours?" And she wonders what -kind- of friend, but doesn't ask that. At least not the way that Darcy would ask.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt smirks broadly, "Yeah, I could see up until I was nine," he says. "Accident," he answers the next question by reflex. "And no, not in it for the money, people tell me one look at my office confirms that much," he says In another of his little private jokes. "Sounds like this Sam is in it for the adventure," he says. "Did you call him?" he asks, prying a little.

Matt knows the way, and he seems entirely comfortable walking the streets of Hell's Kitchen, "Jessica, yeah, we're friends, we've worked together a few times, you know, PI's and lawyers and all of that." His answer is infuriatingly shy on details of the type of friends he was with Jessica.

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
Svetlana shakes her head. "I have not called him yet, but I will." she replies, almost promising him. Or herself. "He asked if I was ...'gainfully employed'. Yes, that is what he called it. I think he wants for me to work for him, but I do not understand why."

She lets Matt lead, and to her it's the most natural thing in the world that he knows where he is going. "So you and Jessica are friends? This is a good thing. Do you have... what words did she use?... 'booty calls'? My friend Darcy explained that to me. I am pretty sure that she and James have them, but James would never say."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt continues to smile at her answer, "Well, it may have something to do with how you were able to take care of those two muggers so quickly. For a PI who just takes challenging cases, those could be useful" Matt suggest on why this Sam wants to hire her. "What's this guy's last name anyhow?"

Matt leads on, laughs warmly at the mention of booty calls. "Oh no, we're strictly work friends at this point, I am pretty sure she'd throw me in the East River if I suggested it." He laughs again, Jess would definitely hurt him for suggesting, it especially with them planning to be pretend married later this week.. "And glad your friends have found something that works for them. How about you? Seeing anyone?" he asks conversationally.

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
Lana shrugs at his speculation about the muggers. "I spar with many opponents at once. Two muggers armed only with a single knife were not a challenge." she replies. "His name is Sam Gwydion. He was very nice, and it is easy to find him likeable." There's no way she could know that Sam is Loki, of course, or even what that would mean if she DID know.

She finds his reaction to the 'booty call' suggestion to be quite amusing, and even laughs along with him. "Me? Seeing anyone? Do you mean SEEING-seeing anyone? Or seeing anyone like booty-call friends?" Okay so while the fight didn't get her pulse racing this simple question most certainly does. And if Matt could see her face she'd be blushing. "I... no. I am not."

Daredevil has posed:
"Two muggers with a knife would be a challenge to a lot of people," Matt observes. "Meaning your skills might be in demand," he says before giving some thought to the name. "Never heard of him," and given that Sam was Loki, that made sense.

"Wow walked into that on with the 'seeing' thing, didn't I?" he asks, there was a certain irony to his choice of term. He's very aware of her visceral reaction to his question, "The booty-call type, but that's me being nosy. You don't' have to answer that."

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
Svetlana hesitates a moment before laughing at the pun. Okay, so NOW she gets it. At least it displaces the embarassment. In a softer voice, she replies. "No, Matt. I do not have a boyfriend. Of the booty-call sort or any other." It's not an easy admission for her.

Lana draws a deep breath and exhales before she continues. "When I was young, I trained as a figure skater. I was very good, but training took a lot of time. Time that I did not have for boys. And then I..." she hesitates to find the words "... was trained as a soldier. My training was very carefully handled, so even though I trained with men there was no time for... boyfriends."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt can hear the unease at the admission as he comes to a stop in front of his building, pulling his cane up infront of him, hands resting on the pommel. "This is me," he says of the building. "And It's alright, I'm in the same boat, I work, a lot, doesn't leave a lot of time for, other things," he says. "Even the casual stuff." He flashes an apologetic frown.

"On the plus side, it sounds like you're out of your training programs, so, you can live your life how you like. From what I hear, New York is a good place to figure that out." He says, then reaching into his pocket, he produces a card. "Sounds like you've got people to help with that, with Darcy and James, but if you need one more, call, I pretty much owe you," he says, with a small smile.

Svetlana Kuznetsov has posed:
Svetlana relaxes noticeably with his admission. And she smiles, although he may not properly see it. There is no response, exactly, but the smile broadens as he continues. "Thank you, Matt. I am told that these phones save the numbers that call them. I will call you so that you can call me back." She accepts the card. "I enjoyed our talk, and I would like to do it again. Without the muggers next time."