4909/Out to the Opera

Out to the Opera
Date of Scene:	10 July 2018
Location:	Gotham Opera House
Synopsis:	Batman catches up to June at the Opera and using a little face makeup, learns some new things about the mysterious new player in Gotham.
Cast of Characters:	Batman, June Connor

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Batman has posed:
Batman has been on this case for a few weeks now and has other things to deal with that are of a much grander scope, but Batman is also if nothing but a completist. He doesn't let things go, not really which is why he IS the World's greatist detective so as it is he has traced a likely location of the subject of this break in with a clear psychological and physical profile even if he doesn't have an identity. If he doesn't get her tonight, he will add her to the cold cases, which are never really 'cold' but definitely not on his front burner.

Batman has posed:
Batman has been on this case for a few weeks now and has other things to deal with that are of a much grander scope, but Batman is also if nothing but a completist. He doesn't let things go, not really which is why he IS the World's greatist detective so as it is he has traced a likely location of the subject of this break in with a clear psychological and physical profile even if he doesn't have an identity. If he doesn't get her tonight, he will add her to the cold cases, which are never really 'cold' but definitely not on his front burner.

June Connor has posed:
    It might not be the first expected location to find June, but public security cameras have turned her up in almost every area of the city in a rather unpredictable pattern, always carrying a backpack. She does very little in any of the videos, she usually stands around, looks at the area from a few angles, and then leaves. It has likely made predicting her next location very difficult, particularly since none of the locations have been the target of a strike like the one at the museum. There may have been some scuffles, even murders, but nothing that seems to directly connect to each other beyond normal crime.
    However, this is one of the last locations on the Gotham map where she hasn't showed, and the one constant in her appearances is...she is showing up everywhere. Nightwing ran into her a few weeks earlier, actually protecting her from some mafia thugs. Of course, she was doing little to garner suspicion at the time.
    The Opera is on tonight, and June is in attendance. She doesn't have the normal attire. Gone are the punker jeans, the band t-shirt, and most of the piercings. That said, her gauges are now diamond studded, or at least a diamond simulant. Her shaved sides remain, the firey red hair neatly arranged as best she can to look formal. In her normal wardrobe's place is an elegant black dress. It's not flashy, a split up one side to allow her movement to be more free. The back of her left shoulder has part of a tattoo visible that is black, but the image is hard to deduce, while a gap in the small of the back reveals part of what looks like a large dragon tattoo. A small black purse is carried in her hand as she makes her way up the steps of the opera house. Unlike most ladies, she doesn't wear heels, but flat shoes. Close inspection would reveal that they are ideal for running. They are a set of the toe shoes that look odd, but are highly practical, with a piece of cloth covering the toes to make them less obvious.

Batman has posed:
Batman would be easily able to approach her as Bruce, but the fact is, Batman maintains a number of personas, and in this case Matches Malone in a tuxedo will do just as nicely. He has been watching the spot with binoculars for hours and knows her when he sees her. It's a simple call to Alfred to have him bring the materials and after fifteen minutes of elabote preparation, the gangster is in full make up and moving to the opera as well.

He got his tickets and looked around uncomfortably. Matches was not the kind of guy to hang in places like this but deals were deals. He headed towards the practically shoed Caucasian woman and dropped his pen. He bent to pick it up and kicked it toward her. "Opps, scuse me."

June Connor has posed:
    June steps back from the kicked pen, a slight frown on her young face. She doesn't answer the stranger, but seems more interested in continuing on her way rather than engage in conversation. She gives him little more than a single direct glance before she continues walking. She is looking at the opera house itself as things are, where most people spend their time going toward the seats inside, she seems interested in the architecture perhaps, taking it in with a studious eye.

Batman has posed:
Batman can tell that she is not here to see the sights and changes tactics. He looks a bit more thug like, changes his posture very subtly but doesn't look like he is and whispers, "Are you here for the event?" Anyone who has ever been on the street would know the tone. He does not mean the opera. It's a vague open ended question, and he is seing if she takes the bait.

June Connor has posed:
    June tilts slightly away from the stranger as he addresses her, and there is something akin to contempt in her stare. "Do I know you?" she asks, rather than directly answer the question. The comment managed to at least take her attention, but her demeanor is wary, and she doesn't look like she wants to tip any hands yet.

Batman has posed:
Batman says, "By reputation. Name's Matches Malone." He does, in fact have a reputation in the underworld. A player, not unskilled. Mainly muscle. He lets her say more, waiting for her to reveal a hand he is now entirely sure she doesn't want t o."

June Connor has posed:
    "I see," June says, and her expression mildly betrays recognition of the name. She waits for several seconds. "The opera is not so interesting to you?" she asks, trying to figure out what 'the event' might be without directly asking. She doesn't seem intimidated, but there is still a cautious stance that says she is not at ease near him.

Batman has posed:
Batman can't play that game without blowing his cover and he isn't doing that. He shrugs, "I was told there was a major score here by a dubious character. I'm sure you know the sort," he smiles, "looked to me like you were casing the joint thought you might be my connection.

June Connor has posed:
    A slight smirk comes over June's face. "I'm just here for the opera. I've never been," she says. She's not lying. She may be here on business, but it isn't to pull a job of any sort. "If you find out who, I don't mind hearing about it, though." Perhaps a little tip of the hand, she's not just your average opera goer.

Batman has posed:
Batman grins wider, "Old habits die hard. Sometimes you can't help casing a place even when you don't mean to do anything about it. I case my family's place and you don't dump where you eat you know what I'm sayin?" He pulls his tie uncomfortably and shrugs. "If I hear anything, what's your score? You look like more than wheels.

June Connor has posed:
    June smiles, "No, I'm not. I fill the role I am needed for, but that changes. My company is rather exclusive, though. I'm afraid I'm not a free agent." Apparently if he had told her of a job, she couldn't take it anyway. "What of yourself?" she asks. "Looking for work?"

Batman has posed:
Batman says, "I won't say I'm not, but I have done well as a free agent. Lingering commitments often put me at odds with upper management sooner or later, but you know my reputation. Didn't catch your name by the way?" He finally, for the first time looks down once and then back at her eyes."

June Connor has posed:
    June seems to consider for a moment, and then faces Matches more fully. "I didn't throw it," she says, then gives a wink. "Not yet." She glances back at the opera starting. "Maybe you could buy me a drink after the show," she suggests.

Batman has posed:
Batman is not Bruce Wayne and its easy to forget that. Matches is a criminal and not that lucky with the ladies, which is why he is still alone. He smiles, "Maybe we could get a drink together. Go dutch. But you have my attention."

June Connor has posed:
    June smiles. "I'm sure," she says. "Meet me here after the show." She turns to walk back into the opera before it starts. The tone has a flirtatious element to her voice, but from her record, and the police reports, she's definitely not normally the flirtatious type.

Batman has posed:
Batman is now VERY interested. He could easily tell that June would be capable of psychological manipulation, and Matches was exactly the kind who would fall for it. Or was it a new unaccounted desperation? It was an interesting play but Matches took his seat and looked appropraitely mystified and annoyed by the art he 'couldn't understand' and then looked around afterward. Batman could watch her better but not every conversation was about intimidation.

June Connor has posed:
    June, for her part, looked remarkably bored during the performance. She left for a few moments twice, once to use the restroom, and the other just to wander the halls a little, continuing with her examination. She seemed most interested in angles of view, and if she was spotted, she placed something small on a couple of the walls, no bigger than a fingernail. Microcameras.

Batman has posed:
Batman will later run cross checks for who she is trying to scout out of it is merely general investigative work. If the Foot is new to this town it could be looking for VIP's to recruit or blackmail. Definitely something to stop. After, he attempts to find her.

June Connor has posed:
    The data will turn up that it seems to be general investigative. Likely there are similar cameras placed now throughout the city, hence why she has been seen virtually everywhere in town. True to her word, she finds the gangster after the show. "Well," she says, "That's two hours I'll never get back." Apparently she didn't like it much.

Batman has posed:
Batman says, "It was all so...Itallian. I thought I understood it but I didn't get it. The plot. The costumes. Any of it." He shrugged and orders a beer in the sports bar. "So. My guy was a wash. What action do you have? You implied something...on going."

June Connor has posed:
    June orders an Angry Orchard, and unceremoniously takes a swig of the bottle when it's presented. "My action doesn't get talked about a whole lot," she says. "Cloak and dagger kinda shit." The formal demeanor seems to have faded as soon as they left the opera house, the rough edges image far mor naturally prevalent. "I might be able to talk to somebody, never know, but you really don't wanna let your lingering business get in the way with them, tends to get you in hot water pretty quick." She sits on the stool. "So what's all the talk about these big hits? Thought the vigilantes in this town ran it or something. Haven't really seen any of them though."

Batman has posed:
Batman says, "Here's the thing if you work in this town long enough. It's like herd animals. Soudns crazy right? This town has so much money and so much crime that the Bat only seems like an illusion. He keeps the worst in check; if you aint a costumed freak you aren't doing certain things. Y ou keep to the shadows. You plan the job. Or you do stuff that's too small time for them. You can do just fine. Judges are bought too easy; cops arent what they used to to be though." This is not entirely true; Batman has in fact kept crime lower and lower every year; he tracks it."

June Connor has posed:
    June frowns, a visible revulsion when the purchasability of judges is brought up. "So why all the hype? Play your cards, you could get your enemies in his sights, cheaper than buying a judge, am I right?" she asks, a slight bit of contempt. "Like kickin' them in front of a train."

Batman has posed:
Batman arches an eyebrow internally. Ethics from the Foot? "Get my enemies in whose sights?" He is not getting it until she gets what he means, "Oh dear, most people aren't up for full on trianin. You gotta build up to it.

June Connor has posed:
June tilts her head to one side, "In the Batman. I mean, you just gotta make sure he finds out about your enemy, let him take out your trash for ya. I guess Gotham ain't that intimidatin' after all. Here I thought this place was gonna be rough." New to the scene, it appears. "I ain't never kicked someone in front of a train either. Kinda messy, you know?" She takes another drink. "So then, hot stuff, you're so big, how do you stay out of his sights? What sets im off? If somebody stayed low, kept their stuff out of the papers, they'd be clear? Or what?"

Batman has posed:
Batman says, "Batman can be manipulated sure. But the people who do that level stuff wear the halloween costumes. The mob bosses? He scares the crap out of them. Smart guys dont try it unless they are a lot smarter than me. It's outta my league." He has a sip of beer, hasn't been drinking as much as her, "I will tell you my secret cause I like you. I make sure I always have other more agressive guys to take the fall. It doesn't always work, I've got a record. But I know when to run."

June Connor has posed:
    June arches her brow, "Good to know," she says, taking another swig. "You're okay, Matches," she decides. "I'll just make sure not to be the more aggressive guy when you're around."

Batman has posed:
Batman cackles, "That's smart. But I can already tell you're either a Luitenant or some kinda specalist; not sure what, but you aren't just muscle and you aren't a moll.

June Connor has posed:
    "Lieutenant?" June asks, "Yeah, they don't like me that much. I just been around a few times. My group? They're like a family, but a family you gotta earn your way into. You don't just get promoted for makin' good, you gotta get their trust. I ain't there yet." Of course, with her young age, she probably hasn't been doing it all tha tlong.

Batman has posed:
Batman arches an eyebrow, "Now you're scarin me. If this was just a mob, they take regular backup muscle and you're made or not. You keep talking more like cult lady. You sound almost afraid of em.

June Connor has posed:
    June gives pause, and looks at her bottle, then places it back on the table. "Yeah, well," she says. "Everybody's afraida somethin'. As long as you do your part, you got a place. Nobody gets out when they are in this, so I make do. I probably should go," she decides. "Can't go gettin' too loose-lipped, booze doesn't help that. Not good for you or me."

Batman has posed:
Batman lets her keep talking, surprised at the concern he feels. Most criminals don't elicit that. "Keep talking." He listens, not even sure he likes what he is hearing. He leans back, looking thoughtful.

June Connor has posed:
    June gives a grimace out of only one side of her mouth. "Nah, you really don't want me to. Not if you like to keep breathin'," she says. "Cloak and dagger, remember? You'd never even know you were on their list."

Batman has posed:
Batman says, "I know a guy that can hide people, better than you think. He does work for the halloweeners sometimes." He holds out a card, "You wanna vanish Jasmine," since she hasn't given a name, "you give me a call." Batman suspects he has gotten all of the information he will out as Matches. There are...other ways."

June Connor has posed:
    June takes the card between two fingers, and flips it to look at the number. "Yeah," she says with a laugh, "Thanks." The laugh says that she doesn't trust the idea. She doesn't get rid of the card, though. "June," she says, giving her real name. "Good to meet you, Matches." She gets up, and leans to give him a peck on the cheek. "Thanks for the beer," she says, and starts to leave. Wait, weren't they going dutch?