4659/BlackSky: Paid Protection Plan

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BlackSky: Paid Protection Plan
Date of Scene: 15 June 2018
Location: Unknown
Synopsis: Luke sounds off against members of the Hand, as well as Elektra - much as planned - and emerges with a much better understanding of the young woman.. and he, her, as well.
Cast of Characters: Elektra, Daredevil, Luke Cage
Tinyplot: Black Sky


Elektra has posed:
She'd heard about the takedown, of course. And dismissed as an object lesson. You get cocky.. sometimes someone hands you your ass. Elektra wasn't concerned. But that it was Luke made things slide into place ever so easily.

Word was sent out that an invitation was to be offered to the man - graciously, of course. They weren't to piss him off or insult him - inviting Luke to come and meet her personally, and to perhaps try his skills against some who might be more worthy opponents.

She knew her people would think that they had the upper hand, and would take it as a snide and underhanded offering to the man, one where she'd hand him his own ass back and ask him to leave in less than polite terms. What they didn't know is that she and Luke had a deal that needed an in, and one had just been found.

The setting was the abandones (or so it seemed) factory where Genus had been taken and 'convinced' to ply his trade on her behalf. She had a small select handful of her people ready to work Luke out ... or over as they thought.. and the evening would end with herself stepping up against the man.

She hadn't told him all this, but she trusted he was smart enough to realize that once she went against him the point was to create a situation where he could accept her offer on grounds of the two of them having something to offer the other.. At least that's how she imagined best case scenario going. With the added point that in order to best protect her, Luke needed to see what she could do.

Now all there was to do was wait for him to arrive.

Daredevil has posed:
Ziro and Paburo stand next to the Fist that Rules the Hand. Ziro, lithe and long haired, has a sword on his back, Paburo, tall, strong, is unarmed, his muscled chest bared by a pale blue gi. Around them stand red clad members of the Hand. Their faces obscured, weapons sheathed, but there is a tension to their stance and the promise of violence glinting in their eyes.

Ziro leans over to speak to Elektra, his tone is deferent and quietly pitched. "Are we sure we need all this for one man? Our recruiters were hardly our best people."

Elektra has posed:
Elektra gives a short, sharp grunt of a laugh. "Are you certain that isn't questioning my motives, Ziro? You forget, there are enough hands and fingers clamouring beneath you to wear that blue."

She shakes her head, and murmurs, "They were always expendable. That was always the point. They are also the best tool we have for discovering names and faces we actually want to pay attention to. And you forget, I have many sources of information that tell me this man is someone we want on our side, not against it. Word is, he'll take money. If he thinks you're worthy."

Elektra shrugs, her chin pointing to the handful of those whose names she doesn't even know who will meet Luke in combat first. "Watch what he does with them. They'll be nothing more than wet rice paper before him, but you'll find your ins. Make your points. I'm guessing that ultimately you'll fall too."

She doesn't sound apologetic for that.

"But I do expect you to last long enough for me to make my point. Are we understood? And I would suggest you not question my motives in the future. I'd hate to have to clean my sai..."

The 'on your robes' is implied.

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke drives through the gloom into the industrial park. Of course Elektra picked some forsaken, out of the way place. A little voice in his head told Luke maybe this was not such a good idea. But then he knew that already.

The address he was given was an old abandoned warehouse. What else would it be? He climbs out of his car with his hood up. The streets are empty here, and his footsteps echo loud as he walks across the sidewalk and up the steps, into the building.

Daredevil has posed:
Ziro's face twitches at the rebuke and he sizes up Elektra, she was shorter, more lithe, but he still does not reach for a weapon or do anything but incline his head, "As you say, Fist," Ziro says without further protest. "We will endeavor to make him understand that those he faced before were but the least of us."

He steps back into line his face set like stone as he hears the man himself approaching.

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke walks down the hall toward a partly opened door with a shaft of light coming through. He had no idea what to expect, but at least he knew where to go. He pushed open the door and stepped into the large warehouse area of the building.

"I got your message," he says perfunctorily, stopping some distance short of Elektra and her people. Luke looks them over, sizing them up. "You wanted to talk to me?"

Elektra has posed:
Elektra gives Luke a slightly amused look once he's entered the space, and the doors have not only been locked, but guarded behind him. "Invitation. Message. We needn't split hairs upon the semantics of the matter."

She steps forward.

"There will be some talking. That is always inevitable. But I wanted to see with my own eyes the man whose antics this afternoon brought word to my ears.. and some annoying lamentation about what were we going to do now." Her smile for him is a cool, precise thing. "I figured this might be easier than endless rounds or posturing. I hear you are a man with a pricetag. I'm also curious to see what you might do against something a little more substantial than the peons you encountered earlier."

Daredevil has posed:
The men behind Elektra do their best to seem imposing. Ziro sneers at the sight of him, but Paburo, quietly appraises the man, standing silent and stoney at Elektra's side. He turns his head to the Fist that Rules the Hand, ready to accept the order to attack.

Luke Cage has posed:
"Hero for Hire," he says with a nod underneath the hood of his yellow hoodie. In the hoodie, black jeans and black boots, he looks almost like he might have worked here once, and out of place among the Hand. But he seems unruffled by the fact he is standing there facing an array of assassins. Instead, he's studying Elektra in her element. "If you can meet my price... And my standards. So this is some kind of challenge?" He asks, eyeing Elektra's men.

Elektra has posed:
Elektra gives a negligent shrug.

"Some kind of?"

She's already noticed the difference in attitude between Ziro and Paburo. Of the two, she already knows who she'll be keeping an eye on in the future... and who she won't call a stop to the fight for until she feels he's understood his failings here. Still, there is Luke.

"Let's consider it a challenge. I, too, have prices and standards. And too often word travels up the streets like a child's game until politely asking someone to leave a domicile becomes singlehandedly taking out a contingent of recruiters.. I prefer to make my own assessments."

A hand gestures to the weapons racks nearby. "There if you choose. Your pleasure. My men, however, also have that choice. After all, we'd hate to make a poor showing, either of us, yes?"

Elektra snaps her fingers and a small group of clearly nameless and faceless ninja step forward.

"Consider these a gift. Warm up Hero for Hire. Let's see if you're worth cleaning up the concrete when this is over."

Daredevil has posed:
The men come forward, all in red ninja garb, they spread out quickly, moving quietly across the warehouse floor, blades and other weapons drawn as they advance. There is a moment, a pregnant pause, as they all come to a stop, then as one, screaming a kiai they charge forward. A flury of blades, staves and fists against the unbrekable man.

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke cracks his neck to both sides and flexes his shoulders in response. He stands, feet planted shoulder width apart and smiles. He waits as the ninja spread out around him, not moving, until the kiai. Then he explodes into action. Luke is fast, really fast, not just for a man his size, but anyone. He springs forward, letting a sword strike narrowly miss him, and drives his fist into the man's stomach. He pulls the punch and the man doubles over and drops instead of flying off his feet. Then he ducks as a bo staff swipes through the air where his head was a second before and lashes out with an elbow to the head of a ninja closing on his side with two daggers. The man hands go to his shattered face, and Luke pivots, shoving him into the nunchuk wielding ninja on his right.

He turns around now, having cleared out his front and looks at the three remaining ninja, who have slowed seeing their compatriots dropped so quickly. Two unarmed ninja close on Luke at once. He raises an arm and blocks a shuto to the head. There is an ugly crunching sound as the man's hand shatters against his forearm. He jabs inside the punch of the second man, who comes off his feet as the momentum of his head stops while the rest of his body keeps trying to go forward.

The last ninja, bravely enough, swings are with the bo staff. There is an audible smack as Luke catches it. Both men stop for a second then Luke rips the bo staff from his hands and cracks him over the head with it. The ninja all on the ground, Luke turns and tosses the bo staff to the ground in front of Elektra.

Elektra has posed:
Elektra settles back to watch and assess the man who may be her one defence between life and death in the coming days. It's only when the last of the nameless ones fall that Elektra holds up her hand, fingers splayed wide.

"Enough. They can crawl out of the fight space." She inclines her head, hand still held in the air. "I'm curious. Your name?" As though she doesn't already know it. As though she wouldn't know it even if she and Luke hadn't made a deal. Elektra left very few things to chance, and that would never have been one of them. She'd have known who he was before she ever sent out the invitation. Just as she'd have already known if she were going to make an offer to him before then, as well.

This little demonstration here had always been for her men. Never for herself.. at least not beyond the ability for she and Luke to test their mettle against one another. Like any working team, they would need to have the surety of that.

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke drops his hood now. "Luke Cage," he rumbles and crosses his arms.

Elektra has posed:
"Well, then, Luke Cage.. let me introduce to you something more challenging. Perhaps you can even manage to work up a sweat this time." She smiles. "I'd hate to have brought you all this way only to disappoint you."

And with that, and no other preamble, Elektra makes a fist of her hand - the gesture an indication to Ziro and Paburo that their time was now. Other than that, she makes no outward signs of emotion or interest.

Daredevil has posed:
Ziro needs no other encouragment than the closed fist, he draws his blade, and prowls cat like towards Luke, blade held low. "Impressive," he says stepping past the downed ninjas as they crawl away from Luke. He doesn't charge though, he turns his blade slightly, creating an opening for Luke to attack.

Paburo for his part moves to grab a weapon from the rack, a naginata, he gives it a testing spin, then advances slowly from Luke's three o'clock, the blade held low.

Luke Cage has posed:
"Can't say the same for them," Luke grunts as he steps over one of the downed men, turning and taking a step back to put the two ninja as much in front of him as he can. He brings his hands up, palms open, and waits, testing their patience.

Daredevil has posed:
Paburo moves with Luke trying to stay fixed on his three o'clock, meanwhile Ziro waits ahead of him. And waits, the blade twitches in his grip. Then, with a shout, he charges forward blade raised high as he leaps the final feet towards Luke.

Paburo, lets a breath out like a sigh and comes forward as well, focusing his chi, so his feet are heavy on the earth, grounding his stance, as he strikes low at Luke's legs while Ziro strikes high.

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke dive rolls over Paburo's leg and to the side of Ziro's strike, coming up beside and a bit past Ziro. He pivots as he stands swinging a backfist for Ziro's head, following with a tight hook from the other hand.

Daredevil has posed:
For all that Ziro is a cocky bastard, he's quick, he rolls out of the way of Luke's punches and then turning slashes at Luke's back.

Paburo comes on then too, though Ziro is now blocking the line of his attack, the big man stabs high with his pole arm to try and keep Luke distracted.

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke grunts in mild annoyance and falls back on his old habits as the slippery ninja rolls away and attacks. He takes advantage of Ziro's anchoring to make his swing. He completely ignores the coming sword strike and drives a reverse punch at full steam for Ziro's mid-section, looking to send the aggravating ninja flying. He raises the other arm to keep Paburo's strike out of his face.

Daredevil has posed:
Ziro's eye flare suddenly with surprise when the blade breaks on Luke's back. He only has a moment to realize his mistake before the punch sends him flying into the nearby wall with a crunch.

Paburo drops the naginata as the blade is brushed aside and focusing his chi into his foot, he leaps and kicks hard at Luke's side.

Luke Cage has posed:
The kick is enough to slide Luke sideways a few inches and earns Paburo a grunt as it's actually felt. Luke's head snaps around, surprised, both by the force of the kick and that the man had not just broken his foot.

"Christmas! The heck was that?" he swears as he comes to a stop. He pushes off, too quick for his size, driving a knee toward Paburo's mid-section.

Elektra has posed:
Elektra merely watches. Things haven't gotten so far that she needs to step in yet... soon, though. Soon the point to make will be herself. For now, though, she merely assesses her men. And Luke.

Daredevil has posed:
"Chi," Paburo answers. As he brings up a leg to check the knee, though gets knocked back by the force of it, he stumbles then gets his feet under him again, bringing up his hands. He waits for Luke to come to him.

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke comes for him, and feints with his left to draw out any holds or throws, then follows through with a quick succession of jabs, finding nothing but air. He throws out a heavy right, telegraphed, but drops his weight as he does against being thrown, goading the ninja into grabbing him, all the while driving the ninja backward toward the wall. He had not managed to connect but he was controlling their momentum and the ninja was running out of room.

Daredevil has posed:
Paburo had been waiting for a chance to take this to grappling and when the punch comes he grabs for it shifthing his chi to his his center in an attempt to hurl Luke towards the wall their closing in on.

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke was braced for the attempt and the difference in their weights, strengths and centers of gravity was just too much, Paburo might as well have been trying to lift the wall as throw Luke into it. The moment Paburo realizes his mistake all Luke needs to get a grip on the big man and once he does, there is no dodging the knee to the gut and snap punch to the chin. The ninja's head drops and his body goes limp. Luke turns and sends Paburo skidding across the floor at Elektra.

Elektra has posed:
She could let it go on, but the object lesson had gone far enough.

Elektra holds up her hand, again, fingers splayed openly. Ziro and Paburo know enough to stop, even without a word from her.

She steps forward, giving a small clap off her hands. "Delightful. Ziro. You and the others may go. Paburo. Stay."

Elektra crosses the space between herself and Luke, her movements a careful ease that while seemingly negligent make it clear that she's perfectly aware of herself in this space and her relation to all objects within it. So much so that Ziro gets to only within feet of the door before she tells him quietly, "Enough, Ziro. You may watch from there." Her message made clear. He'd been chastized for his actions, but he is to stand there in shame and learn.

"So. Luke. It comes to this. You and I. Tell me, any words before we begin?"

Notably, she doesn't make a move towards the weapons, unlike all the opponents before her. She clearly plans on meeting Luke one on one, with only the gifts god - and Stick's training - had given her.

Daredevil has posed:
Paburo rises, blood trickling down from a bit lip. He bows to Elektra and then to Luke before he takes his place to watch what is to come next.

Ziro, helped by two of the ninjas in red, stops at the door, and turns to watch, sending them away to stand under his own power, despite an immense amount of pain.

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke registers some surprise that Elektra is stepping up to him herself. He squares up to her, pulls his hoodie off and throws it to the floor.

"You sure you want some of this?" he says with a half-smile.

Elektra has posed:
There's that negligent shrug and equally negligent smile from Elektra.

"Oh, I want many things. However, there's a point to this, and it hardly falls within want or need. Let us call it necessary and proceed?"

There is no warning. No chi. No telescoped movement or particular nuance of body that gives her away. One moment she is merely facing Luke the next she is a flurry of flips towards him, her body a graceful arch that blurs in the air, only to pass over and beyond him, where in that same singular motion, she spins, ducking low, aiming to sweep his legs out from under him. She already knows his skin is not a weakness. And that he has speed as well. It leaves unbalancing, and the unexpected. Dirty tricks. And the knowledge of how a body works and moves.

Joint strikes. Sweeps. Gestures meant to make him overbalance with her strikes or overstep his own. She will need to move quickly. To obfuscate. And to use his own body against him.

He might be Unbreakable, but she was Untouchable..

They say every battle is a dance. It was clear Elektra heard the music.

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke is already ducking to keep out of reach of her arms as Elektra flips over him and rolls to the side to avoid her leg sweep. He explodes out of the crouch swinging at Elektra with a straight punch that passes through where she was moments before and knocks a chunk of concrete out of the pillar that had been behind her, drawing a deep groan from the ceiling far above.

He tries closing on Elektra again, trying to use her strikes against her by just moving through them, but she is gone as quickly as he reacts. He squares off with her again, shifting sideways, arms up.

"Not bad," he admits, looking for an opening, watching for her next move.

Elektra has posed:
Just as easily as she swept, Elektra foward rolls, and comes up off to the side of where he's aimed. His motions are easy enough to read. He might be fast, but he hasn't her training. Everything he goes to do, she can see coming. It leaves her hairsbbreadths away from strikes that should bruise, or split skin should they make contact...

To be certain, it's close. Very close. He gets a brush of her hair against his hand as she pulls away from a particularly close strike - a backwards flip leaving her outside his reach for the moment, and her eyes wary upon him as he appraises her.

"I could say the same for you. So we've determined this." Her stance is kept an even weight across the balls of her feet, and she circles slowly, forcing him to turn with her if he wishes to keep eye contact.

"What say we allow a few of these blows to hit? And yes, I'm aware. That blade wasn't a replica. I'm impresed. However, there are things fists can do that metal can't. And truly, the object of this isn't to lay the other low, now is it?"

She smiles at him, still doing that slow, cross-vined foot motion circle about him. "You want to know if I'm worth that price you're going to ask. And I want to know if I'm going to pay it. So.. enough? Or do we see what the sound of flesh on flesh is?"

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke is less impressed by her talk than her moves. He sniffs and rolls his shoulders. "We can play games some other time," he says, drawing up to his full height. "I've seen enough."

He crosses his arms and gives a nod to Paburo. He just ignores Ziro.

Elektra has posed:
And just like that, she relaxes.

Or at least as much as she ever relaxes. Her body stance remains balanced on the balls of her feet, but the circling stops, and it's clear by the angle of her limbs as she stands there, that she's not already thinking ahead to the next strike. To be certain, if he were playing her, and lashed out, she would be prepared - she might have to take a blow in order to regain the momentum she's now let down, but she wouldn't be taken so off guard as to lose herself.

There's a casual turn of her head and she snaps her fingers. "You. And you. Go. We're done here now. Mr. Cage and I have business. Paburo, carry word that we've a new member. Ziro, check on the men who were in the first wave.

The message is clear: Ziro has lost face. There had been a lesson here to learn and he'd failed to learn it. As such, he would be treated as such until the next time there were opportunity to show he had realized the errors of his way. For now, though? He'd been relegated keeper of those.. unmentionables he'd been so quick to speak down against at the beginning of this meeting. Those acceptable losses.

Daredevil has posed:
There is a look of recognition at the nod Luke gives Paburo but he doesn't move, not until Elektra gives him orders. He bows, "As you say," he says before giving Luke a nod of respect and withdrawing.

Ziro bows too, then, departs through the doors, limping badly.

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke waits for them to leave, then looks less cocksure and more down to business.

"I think now we understand each other better," he says.

Elektra has posed:
"I should hope so," Elektra says with a grin, moving back towards the table she'd been near when he arrived. "A very interesting fighting style. Refuse to go down. I imagine someone hoped to make a mint off of you in cage matches."

There are some neatly folded cloths there, and she tosses him one. "So. Where do we stand? I seem to recall the small matter of a fee. Though, if you'd prefer, I can have refreshments brought in, or we can move to a slightly more comfortable location."

Luke Cage has posed:
"Some have tried, before I was like this," he says. Those were prison days. Dark days.

He catches the cloth as he comes over to join Elektra. "The fee is my standard, plus a little extra for all the ninja," he says, quoting her a number. It's high, at least for people for whom money still paid bills. Not so much for people beyond that class. "I'm guessing that won't be a problem."

"Where'd you learn to fight like that?" he asks.

Elektra has posed:
The price doesn't even get a blink. Not a twitch. "Hrm. I'd expected higher. Though I suppose your need to punish me is less today than it once was. First lesson, Luke, the walls have ears. They always have ears."

She pats herself down with the cloth, face first, and arms and decolletage last.

"When I was young, my father put me in martial arts as a way to burn off some of my excess energy. I was something of a curious child, and hard to pin down. It worked. At least until he died. I'd been in private lessons then for some time. They continued. My sensei - Stick - took me under his wing and taught me all I would need to fight this war of his. I think I was twelve the first time I took a man's life."

She shrugs and puts the now damp cloth on the table again.

"I don't regret it. He would have killed me. Even then there were those jealous of my abilities. And my master's.. consideration for me. I learned early and quickly that emotions got you killed."

There's a soft chuckle that recognizes the irony of her current situation. "And so here we are. Living the proof of that."

Luke Cage has posed:
Luke wipes his hands and tosses the cloth on the table. He shakes his head when she mentions how she was when she killed the first time. It was not unheard where he came up, but it was still pretty young.

"Look like it," he agrees with a wry smile. "So what happens now?"

Elektra has posed:
"You tell me." Elektra rubs a hand along the back of her neck. "Though I suppose first order of business is getting the books straight on this one. And there are a few other matters to tend to."

Suddenly sounding weary, she suggests, "I suggest we finish details over a meal later. I imagine you have things you wish to tend to as well. And I need to think."