527/Assault on Gotham Central

Assault on Gotham Central
Date of Scene:	21 May 2017
Location:	Gotham City
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Batman, Black Canary, Ra's al-Ghul, Star Shimmer, Green Lantern (Jordan)
Tinyplot:	Commissioner Joker

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Batman has posed:
The holding cells in the basement of Gotham Central: a place few want to be at any time of day.

Things are considerably more daunting at the moment, as the entire floor has been dedicated to keeping one prisoner in his cell: Batman!

He sits, restrained heavily by a number of cuffs, chains, locks, and other mundane means.

A dozen 'former' supervillains, technically reformed by virtue of the recent Gotham City work-release program, stand guard. They include:

Scarecrow
Bane
Poison Ivy
Raptor
Killer Moth
King Tut

On the floors above, even more 'police officers' make their rounds, their numbers comprised of costumed villains and other former residents of Arkham Asylum.

Many are champing at the bit for the opportunity to rid themselves entirely of Batman, but one rule has been made clear: he is to be tried for his crimes, to be found guilty /through/ the law rather than in circumvention of it.

So, Batman sits in his cell, untouched and unharmed--for now.

Black Canary has posed:
Black Canary drives up to Gotham Central. She is going to infiltrate the place. To try to rescue the Batman. She leaves the motorcycle, in park, and adjusts her hair, cracking her knuckles. "Alright... let's see if I can crack this tin can open." She sneaks along towards the wall - trying to find an isolated spot - her goal is so simply shout a hole through the wall in an out-of-the-way spot to cause some mass confusion - she crouches in a likely location in an alley between Gotham Central and a neareby building - biding her time.

Ra's al-Ghul has posed:
Ra's al-Ghul had sought to create a new breed of caretaker for the world, through the citizens of Gotham City's struggle against the misery that has pervaded their society more and more. He has fought for seven hundred years to mold the world into a sculpture of primeval glory, creating entire social movements and snuffing out entire historical epochs. Plague and pestilences, genetic superhumans and extinct animals, even nations risen and ideologies defamed through their own doing. But Ra's al-Ghul has realized, his work is nearly at an end. Once, he thought Batman was his successor. But Bruce Wayne refused the mantle of the Demon, keeping his inner Devil chained inside him. And perhaps, Ra's al-Ghul has recently decided, Batman was correct. That means, a test will be required. Can a superior animal slay the League of Assassins? The secret, Ra's believes, is in Gotham City.

And Gotham City was in danger of being reduced to tyranny, a system too orderly to allow evolution of a movement contrary to the historical cycles that Ra's al-Ghul has forged. No, he will need to challenge his own handiwork. And with Batman in custody, it will have to be tonight.

Atop a kindly building, a tower set aside for biometric research (and clandestinely owned by Ra's al-Ghul, but only through finance, not through agents inside), a defeaning explosion resounds. The top floors explode, flames of chemical noxious glare and phosphorous sheen blowing through the glass windows. A fire breaks out, and the explosions then echo down, as if a deliberate demolitions event is occuring. The tower is empty, but the tower is located alongside several buildings that are not.

Five Blackhawk helicopters flutter over the rooftops of Gotham City towards Gotham Central, trailed by two Apaches on either flank and to the rear, high above the formation, on overlook. The Blackhawks swoop around Gotham Central, troopers in special forces armor rappelling down to the street outside with assault rifles drawn. Three groups of five apiece from the three helicopters out front click safeties off and prepare to breach the building, one of them firing a grenade from an undermounted barrel at the opening to the building.

The two other Blackhawks, meanwhile, swoop about atop the building, discharging Michael "Alpha" Summers, in a white suit and his sunglasses, a pistol in either hand, and Alpha's elite squad of assassins. "Alright, boys. We're wrangling big prey tonight." With him he has two Scandinavian Nords that look like bikers, holding chains with hooks each, and there are three men in ninja gear, with a sword, a bo staff, and a whip.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Autumn quickly slipped into her suit. When she heard about Batman being captured, She hit her panic button and contacted Batwoman. Given that she was bent on helping the man who helped her in her darkest hour, Batwoman sent a little care package and told her to be safe, giving her pointers. This was it. The first time she was going out not as Autumn or Autumn just wearing a mask. No This time she was going out as the Nightingale. Putting her belt on She quickly loads it down with all the gear that she'd been given. Finally she grabbed her Staff and twirled it open. A glance in the mirror and she was off.

Nightingale makes some quick moves through the city. She's lived here all her life. She loves the city. Its why she agreed to train, to learn, and fight. Finally The girl makes her way to a building near the prison. Why anyone would want to be this close to the prison is anyone's guess. Her gaze goes down into the alleyway. Her eyes catch the sight of blonde hair and black leather. She makes her way down, softly landing near the woman. "And here I thought I was the only one sneaking around." She is speaking with a rather raspy yet sultry voice.

Green Lantern (Jordan) has posed:
    When Hal Jordan, Green Lantern, heard the distress call over the JL comms, he knew he would have to rush to the jail to help. If Black Canary had called them for help, it must be big time tough opposition. A quick willpower/ring change of clothing, and Hal Jordan changes from test pilot to superhero in a green flash of light. With a final nod, GL moves from his apartment to the open air, and quickly hits supersonic speeds. Direction - north, Gotham, and Blackgate Penitentiary.

    Within minutes, faster than a F-35, Hal Jordan arrives in the air space of the Prison. With a quick look around, Hal was cautious, not knowing who was friend or foe. The helicopters were a problem. Were they there to help the situation, or hinder? Who were they dropping off? Green Lantern pauses for several moments, unsure who to take down.

Batman has posed:
Of the guards in the basement, Killer Moth and King Tut seem the most poised to disobey the rule preventing them from killing their captive.

"He's /right here/, man!" the Moth says. "We're never gonna have this chance again."

Poison Ivy rolls her eyes, leaning against a wall. "Maybe /you/ won't."

Scarecrow fidgets with a canister of some chemical compound. "Perhaps we should just incapacitate him. To be sure. He's escaped from constraints more powerful than those."

"No," Bane says, sitting in a chair twenty feet in front of Batman. "We will sit and watch. And he will see his day in court. And then the law will break him." He cracks his knuckles and sighs.

Everyone is quiet for some time after that. Batman merely stares ahead, seemingly at no one in particular.

On the ground floor, several officers point toward the windows as individuals rappel down the walls outside. "Uh ... that's not good, right?" one asks.

"Holy hell!" another shouts. "Hit the alarm! We're under attack!"

Someone reaches for an alert button, and sirens begin wailing while red lights flash. Reinforcements begin dropping over the outside windows, and the doors' security measures activate--turning the place into a veritable fortress.

Black Canary has posed:
Black Canary raises an eyebrow as the other woman approaches her, eyebrow raised. "I'm the Black Canary. And... I'm here for a friend. I suggest you take cover. And plug your ears. And get ready for a fight. I'm breaking in but... I'm _sure_ my efforts will cause a commotion - you here for that same friend, I take it?" she asks. Then... the sound of helicopters. A lot of them. Canary looks up and sighs. "So - I wonder who else was invited to this party - they don't look like police choppers so..."

Then an alarm sounds and the doors and windows become armored. Good thing she wasn't going to use them. She glances at Nightingale, whomever she is, hoping she'll take cover as she faces the wall - takes a deep breath - then.... SKRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! She somehow emits an untrasonic blast with a scream... and... it literally blasts a hole through the wall large enough for a person to slip in and she does as she stretches, ready to fight as she assumes an offensive Krav Maga stance. "I hope you can fight," she muses as she starts briskly walking down a corridor.

Ra's al-Ghul has posed:
As the building blazes, cameras set up in advance by minions of Ra's al-Ghul - his peace activist front, campus liberals recruited from drug users and dealers and smugglers that infiltrated college campuses under the auspices of ending the military domination of NATO and the West - watch the tower burn, and also the street battle. The cameras are planted inside buildings, Ra's al-Ghul's minions having been informed that the biometrics research firm was for the purpose animal testing. Ra's al-Ghuls knows that heroes find it their duty to put out fires. But the Demon's hypothesis? That criminals leap at the chance to do anything they regard as heroic. Particularly the narcissists of Gotham.

As the door blows open to the Gotham Central and the security measures activate, the first breach time sallies forth, the five man team approaching in Iranian VEVAK (special forces) position, a lead scout with a heavy weapon (each of the scouts carries a grenade launcher beneath their French-made FAMAS assault rifles), with a diamond formation following up the steps. They creep into the building slowly, firing at the false police officers inside with assaut rifle bursts that are tightly controlled, not taking an aggressive posture, but one of initiative, seizing the opportunity to push rivals behind cover, then advancing softly when the opportunity is given. Should they lose their grip, an aggressive move is made, with a covering agent behind the squad point. The other two squads, meanwhile, turn about and take a position at either side of the steps, covering their friends inside. They hunker down behind cars, pointing outwards at two diagonals, watching for the reinforcements from the Gotham City's criminal-led police officer's group. Regular police would clear them. But these are mobsters wearing uniforms.

As the helicopters that dropped the operatives lift into the air and retreat to an 'on site' position, being trailed by the Apaches to protect them, Alpha gestures to one of his two Scandinavian biker assassins. "Alright, Fyodor. Let's do it." The biker places an explosion charge over the Gotham Central's break room on the top floor, hits the timer, then backs off. A directed explosion punches downwards into the break room, before the three ninjas drop in, the sword first, then the whip, then the bo. They secure the room by exitting into the corridor, before Alpha drops in with a quick hop, the Scandinavians falling one by one after, the pair standing behind Alpha.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Nightingale nods, "Yes. I am here for a friend as well. One who saved my life. I am returning the favor." Then everything goes crazy. She glances upwards and then back to Black Canary. "Nightingale." Quickly she covers her ears and takes cover. "I guess I get some on the job training today." She laughs.

Then the jail is blasted open. As soon as it is, she grabs the staff off of her belt and twirls it open. "I've been training. Lets do this!" She snickers as she gets ready to head in. She falls in behind Canary. After all, she is the League member.

Green Lantern (Jordan) has posed:
    Green Lantern hears that shout! It was unmistakeable. The Canary Cry. Thankfully, his will allows him to use his ring to dampen the sound, although the first blast he gets causes him to wince. Unfortunately, he cannot pinpoint where she is at this time. The echoes around here were terrible! His focus was on the special forces that were also assailing the building. And the helicopters.

    As the choppers move off, none of them attacking, Green Lantern takes a moment to pause. Perhaps they were not the bad guys, and were there to help. All the action was already deep into the building, and at the moment, it looks like GL was the bakcup and support. Hal didn't want to rush into a situation that got someone killed, after all. And with the insane villains that permeated this city, it might just be a good idea to be the backup, stay on position, and provide support. Oh, and ensure none of them get away once BC and the other heroes start to punch their way to Batman. Or scream.

    "Canary, this is GL. On our JL frequency. I'm here as backup, maintaining the perimeter, and ensuring no one gets in...or out. If you need me, give me a shout! I'll find you."

Batman has posed:
The non-costumed forces populating Gotham Central--even if they are dangerous psychopaths--are no match for the highly trained forces of the Demon's Head or for the vigilantes that make their way through a vocally-created hole into the building.

One by one, they drop unconscious or worse. The hallways are lined with crooks bleeding out or groaning in pain.

Below the ground level, the force of the explosions gain everyone's attention. King Tut's eyes grow wide, and the Raptor makes a series of gestures with one hand to activate his talons.

"Calm down, boys," Poison Ivy says, closing her eyes for a moment. "I'll offer a welcome."

Above, a series of creeping vines weave their way through the air ducts and extend along the hall floors and walls, with large bulb-like growths protruding from them. As individuals near them, the bulbs expel sulfurous spores that eat flesh.

Scarecrow runs off from the holding cell area, canisters in hand. "This is my worst nightmare," he mutters to himself.

Black Canary has posed:
Black Canary moves along towards the stairs down, knowing that's where the cells are - beside, her dad used to work here so she knows things. She starts to see plants come out and sends a Canary Cry to blast the plants away - she knows enough to know that if a plant is growing here, it's probably Poison Ivy's doing and probably trouble. She frowns. "I'd avoid the plants here... I don't think they're our friends..." She ponders. "I'm almost disappointed there aren't anymore - I'm barely warmed up. Guess they weren't anticipating intruders at this angle."

Ra's al-Ghul has posed:
"Secure!" comes a call from the scout at the head of the breach squad, as he rifle whips a crook to the ground. The other four soldiers come into the main booking area of the police station, as the Assassins on the floor above deal with the last of the scattered few thugs on the top floors. The three ninjas walk down the steps into the concourse, their weapons ready, before Alpha strolls out with a faintly effeminate sashay, a consequence of his pistol dance fighting style. "We've got Black Canary somewhere in this station, if my ears serve me correctly," Alpha says, as he notices the toxic gas seeping out of the ventilation ducts. The breach team backs away as soon as the smell the faint, acrid odor of the poison gas, a few coughs coming from even the mildest exposed private military troopers. The two Nords march down the steps behind Alpha.

"Alright, secure the area. Koda, Shiro, and Yuri, you three keep our exit out the front covered. Fyodor, Bruno, you two cover the entrance down to the cells. That's where I'm heading." Alpha rolls his shoulders and flicks his safeties into the off position with a roll of his thumbs on his specially designed semi-automatics, before stalking towards the cells down to where Batman is being held. He lurks around a corner, adopting silent movements as he attempts to avoid being detected by Canary and Autumn, instead preferring to let them do the lifting.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Nightingale follows along, minding her footing. Her staff in her hands as she prepares to defend herself if need be. "I have a feeling the closer we get, the more likely we will be to run into others." She's not been here before. This place may as well be another country to her. Still, her attention is locked on the chaos around her.

As the crazy plants start growing. "Glad I brought something to prune with if we need to." She pats her belt which has a small knife on it. Not something big but more of a tool item, Just in case. "That was really impressive what you did to the wall by the way."

Batman has posed:
The Canary's cry blasts away the necrotic bulbs, and their contents fizzle on the floor as they bounce and roll down the hall.

Hanging from the ceiling of the large, open officers' bullpen, Man-Bat spreads his wings and shrieks before diving down toward the nearest of the troopers.

Flipping out from a large shadow near the stairs to the basement, Raptor launches himself at Black Canary and Nightingale, swinging with poison-tipped talons and executing roundhouse kicks to complement his slashes.

Meanwhile, in the basement, steam vents hiss, a faintly yellow mist spreading out along the ceiling and then slowly falling.

Sitting in front of Batman, Bane sighs and stands. "I should be less surprised. /You/ took each of these others out yourself. Why should coordinated efforts by others not succeed as well?" He presses a sequence of buttons on one forearm, and his muscles begin to swell almost to the point of bursting.

"I ... will ... end this!" he says, his voice cracking and growing deeper and more feral as the short sentence progresses.

Black Canary has posed:
Black Canary grins widely. "Ah - about TIME something came up." She counters with some kung fu as she keeps an eye on that glove, dueling with Raptor. She spares no attention for Nightingale, hoping the girl knows enough tos tay out of the way for this guy is good. She has the additional complications of trying to avoid that claw - not daring to let it hit her as she uses all her strength and agility to keep him busy. She also waits for a golden opportunity to blast him into a wall. Raptor's good, but he's just a bit predictable...

Ra's al-Ghul has posed:
    There's cried curses as Man-Bat swoops down on the Demon special forces team, one of them pinned down beneath the troopers. "Hold, hold!" come shouts from the other four men, one of them coughing up blood from getting too close to the vents. The point their weapons at Man-Bat, mostly in deference to the thought of defense, should he charge one of them.

The three shinobi leap into action, the two male shinobi with the sword and the staff jumping into position at either side of Man-Bat from the bat, before the female with the whip jumps into the air over Man-Bat and grabs a lighting fixture, swinging and flipping her legs upwards at the end of the swing. She lands on the ground after an inverted flip, completing a triangle around Man-Bat. Her whip cracks at Dr. Langstrom, as the ninja with the sword remains ready in a backstep position to catch the Bat, should he charge, and the one with the bo swings his staff with a quick, savage swing in the sword-bearer's direction.

Alpha leans around the side of the corner leading to the basement stairs as Autumn ventures downwards, his snappy black fighting shoes producing nary a sound. He raises his right hand, brushing his hair out of his eyes with the fingers along the grip of his gun, before he turns about and peers down the stairwell at Autumn's back, a brief shade cast across the light behind him, before he slides back into position in hiding. He does not know who she is, that second hero, but he knows not to make a threat judgement prematurely.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Nightingale keeps back, watching Black Canary go to work. She won't engage unless the Raptor comes near her. For now, she just keeps a close watch on the fight, filing away some of the moves that might come in use later on. Then she remembers the reason she is here in the first place. "I'm going to press forward. Catch up when you can."

She takes off moving down stairs. Now. The rookie doesn't know that anyone is following her. She doesn't hear them. What she does know is that this is time for stealth. As soon as she gets to the lower floor she disappears into the shadows. She kneels down, looking around and trying to find her way around. She doesn't make a sound. Turns out she learned that lesson fairly well.

Batman has posed:
Raptor continues moving, his attacks blocked and dodged. He dives, somersaulting into a slash upwards and then pushing off the wall behind his opponents to take a different angle of offense.

Man-Bat fidgets, trapped in the midst of enemies. He shrieks again, his voice loud and shrill. The claws protruding from the ends of his wings curl and uncurl as the were-creature waits for one of the shinobi to come too close. His jaws snap, foaming saliva dripping from his lips and chin.

The yellow mist in the basement continues to permeate much of the air in the hallways, an aerosolized fear gas from the Scarecrow. A Nightingale moves through the space, she may find breathing to be ... a terrifying experience. Not far behind her, the Scarecrow creeps, watching a potential victim being born.

In the holding area, Bane waits, impatient. He idly grabs the bars of an empty cell and pries them open, and then closed, and then open, with little exertion. "Where ARE they?!" he screams, looking back to the captive Batman with wild eyes.

Black Canary has posed:
Black Canary finally positions Raptor against a wall and gets her chance and SKKKREEEEEEEEEEEE! She sends Raptor into the wall at high force with a deafening high-force Canary Cry, knocking the man out. Then... her leg starts going numb. She looks down and sighs as she sees bloody scratches on that leg. Damn - must've got a strike in with that poisoned claw. She decides that retreat is the better part of valor, hoping that the young hero Nightingale doesn't get in too deep as she starts limping towards the new doorway she made. She calls onthe Justice League comms for assitance as she barely manages to climb out of the door - and slumps in the alley, panting, unable to move further.

Ra's al-Ghul has posed:
Yuri, the shinobi with the whip, gives the other two ninjas a glance, before she dashes directly at Man-Bat's slobbering maw. She lashes out with her whip and immediately jumps into the air as the whip is cast downwards, wrapping around Man-Bat's neck and pulling him directly upright as she lands behind him, pulling the whip taut to simultaneously choke and trap him on his legs, taking advantage of his lack of 'arms'. And then, the staff ninja, Koda, rolls forward and breaks into a sweep with the staff at Man-Bat's legs, sweeping them out from under him with a hard shift of his bludgeon rod. Finally, Shin leaps upwards while Man-Bat is on his back, landing on his chest and sinking the sword into Man-Bat's right wing, into the floor, and releasing it. The three ninjas break away, Shin switching to a dagger, leaving Man-Bat stuck in place. With the trooper free, his four squadmates pull him to his feet, injecting him with an adrenal compound to keep him conscious for evacuation. They have orders not to kill Gotham Rogues, Ra's al-Ghul wishing them alive for his 'experiment'.

Alpha sees the yellow gas, and the Scarecrow lurking, knowing its likely a fear compound. He ventures forth into the haze, resisting with the 'macht', the spiritual willpower, that the Demon's Assassins possess from making them superhuman. He slides up behind Scarecrow and slides his right pistol around Scarecrow's throat, shoving the back of the gun's barrel into the space behind Scarecrow's jaw. There's a quick pull upwards and back, with a slide forward from his leg at Scarecrow's legs. And then, a dump to the ground, with a graceful twist.

Star Shimmer has posed:
The gas filling her lungs is something she's never experienced before. The fear compound is starting to hit her. The world shifts before her making things look like a chunk of hell has risen from the ground. As she hears rustling she turns and sees... Not The Scarecrow and a Ninja but a demon riding a nightmare with flames sailing from the nostrils. Her heart races. The staff twirls around in front of her.

She takes off towards Alpha and the Scarecrow. With a lightning fast motion she lowers her staff and tries to take the nightmare's legs out from under him. Sadly that is right about where Scarecrow's leg is. She doesn't say anything. She's just fighting to protect herself. To protect her friends.

Batman has posed:
The Scarecrow is upended by Alpha, and he spits out a curse as he lands on his shoulder, the awkward posture of his form mutating--in Nightingale's mind, at least--into a vicious nightmare.

Just then, Nightingale sweeps at the nightmare's limbs, and the Scarecrow is knocked unconscious.

Near the doorway to the holding cells, a massive figure looms. Bane awaits. He punches the walls in preparation, leaving medicine ball-sized craters.

Behind him, Batman sits, motionless and silent.

Ra's al-Ghul has posed:
Alpha's vision is shifting also, seeing Nightingale as a fallen angel, her wings dripping with blood, and a golden cuirass chestplate. But Alpha knows every trick in Gotham after the briefing that he was given before Ra's al-Ghul even selected him for this mission. And he knows it is a lie. Alpha steps back from Nightingale, and he puts his gun up to his lips, in a 'shhh' single. "Heart follows eye, eye follows mind. This is soul," he says forcefully but gently, using the Buddhist concept of Atman to explain the proper course to deal with severe hallucinations.

Outside the police station, the tower nearby is nearly in cinders, firefighters putting out the blaze, as the two squads continue to snipe at the mobster reinforcements flowing to Gotham Central. There's a crackle among the shared radio communications of the PMC troopers the Demon is employing, and they fall back into the building slowly, letting the mobsters retain control out of the street outside. The troopers have picked off enough of the street-trained police officers with their superior private military academy tactics and drill discipline. They move two soldiers to cover the sidewalk, from either end of the blown out shell of the doorway into the building, with the other eight holding windows facing outside, taking snipe shots at mobsters that attempt to secure the road outside, leaving anyone on the sidewalks.

Star Shimmer has posed:
The Rookie sees her Nightmare go down and now her sights are set on the demon. She winces is just about to strike when, the creature begins speaking. Now, the fear coursing through her mind is playing havok with her. The voice she hears sounds just as demonic as the visage she is seeing. But something isn't adding up. Something is getting to her. The words the creature is saying is definitely not something that makes sense for a demon to say. She listens carefully.

She begins putting action behind what she was told. Slowly but surely things start reforming into reality. "A Ninja?" She whispers? She turns and looks around her gaze falls on a sign with an arrow pointing towards another cell block. Some inventive inmate etched murderer's row on it. "This way." She whispers and takes off moving towards that cell block. If anything, that would be a poetic means of vengence for most of the lunatics in this city.

Batman has posed:
The sounds of conversation from the hall--however quiet--seem to attract Bane's attention. He approaches the entrance and bellows. "There you are!" he shouts into the void of the basement halls, potentially transforming--for any who might spy him while under the influence of the Scarecrow's gas--visually into the shape of some hideous yeti-thing with black holes for eyes and mouth as he clenches his fists. "Let me show you ... PAIN!"

Ra's al-Ghul has posed:
"Almost," Alpha replies to Nightingale, before he lets the superheroine lead the way (perhaps with far too long a lead), moving about behind her. As Bane appears, he's forced to ratchet through a mental dossier of Gotham Rogues to spot him. Killer Croc? He squints, peering at the width of his build. No, Croc doesn't quite match. It's Bane. Letting Autumn blunder right into Bane while Alpha hangs back, he lifts his right pistol, squinting his eyes shut briefly to squeeze out the tears of irritation, before opening them, fighting the urge to wipe the water away. His pistol is aimed upwards, at Bane's chest. His finger, however, isn't over the trigger, it's over the guard.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Nightingale is caught completely by surprise as suddenly, BANE!!! Her eyes go wide. If thats not enough, to her its a yeti. Quickly she reacts. She reaches into her belt and throws down a smoke bomb. As soon as that is dropped she gets back and tries to find a safe place to regroup. Her mind is racing. How do you deal with someone the size of a small house who could throw a car at you. She begins going through her utility belt looking for ideas.

Smoke bombs, utility knife, baterangs, Rope, Grappling gun wait... Baterangs and rope. she quickly grabs one and some rope. Fastening the two together she whips it trying to wrap up Bane.

Batman has posed:
For a moment, Bane is restrained by the rope thrown by Nightingale, his mass heavily, but not entirely, obscured by the cloud of smoke.

Bane looks down at himself and flexes, straining to snap the cords around his body. With some effort--and an inhuman scream that makes veins across his neck pop--the giant man frees himself.

He immediately responds by lifting the nearest piece of heavy furniture--a desk--and throwing it at the space where the batarang had originally come from.

In his holding cell, Batman finally speaks. "You're making a mistake," he says quietly, his voice like shifting gravel.

Ra's al-Ghul has posed:
Batman has to struggle to defeat a foe like Bane. Alpha, on the other hand, uses guns.

Alpha drops his gun down, finger over the trigger, and fires a single round at Bane's kneecap, as he turns sidelong, with precision befitting an Assassin trained in gun kata, despite his fear gas intoxication. As the desk goes flying past, he quietly steps aside, the round discharged, pointing his gun upwards and judging his progress.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Nightingale suddenly is hit with a desk! She goes flying backward. Thank gods for armor. That impact though is going to leave some serious marks. She can already feel the pain mounting. Carefully she manages to get up. "No fatalities." She speaks to Alpha. Her own tone sounding more sultry still. She quickly moves up on Bane while he's distracted. She runs along the wall, Then she jumps up, pushes off and with a thunderous strike she brings the staff down across the tubes that are all around Bane.

Batman has posed:
Bane drops to a knee as he's shot. The bullet's not enough to explode the joint, thanks to the amount of Venom coursing through his system, but it does still hurt. Considerably.

The villain reaches for another large item nearby--a water cooler--but before he can launch it in Alpha's direction, his intravenous system is all messed up by Nightingale's attacks. Dropping the water cooler, Bane desperately tries to reach for the girl, grasping at her arms and legs.

Batman, meanwhile, shakes his head as best he can in his restraints. "This is a waste of effort. I'm not looking to leave. Not yet, at least."

Ra's al-Ghul has posed:
Alpha taps a button on his wrist watch with his pistol, four times, a signal agreed upon in advice. Fyodor and Bruno, the two Scandinavian bikers, come walking down the stairs behind Alpha, with their hooked chains in hand. The fear gas has mostly disappated at this point, the tall, tattooed Assassins moving behind Alpha.

And then Alpha swings about with articulate care, firing a round from the pistol in the left hand at the water cooler before Nightingale to make it explode in a blast of water, before he drops about with the right pistol, firing a round from his Beretta at her calf, to hobble her. Her status as what Ra's likes to call an 'Agent of Fate' precludes her a lethal wound, but he has a job to do.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Nightingale hears Batman's Words. Her eyes close. "Dammit Batman, tell someone next time!" BOOM! SPLASH! The water cooler goes up in a blast. And then there is another gunshot. This one she feels. The armor she wears is largely bulletproof. One thing is unaccounted for... Armor Piercing rounds. The kind that would be needed for an operation like this. She drops. The bullet, blew a hole clean through her calf.

The pain hits her at first. Then shock begins setting in. She winces. Things go into slow motion. Her mind races. She's got only a short time to get out. "I'm sorry." She speaks to Batman. Grabbing a smoke bomb out of her belt she throws it against a wall, setting it off. Then she pulls the grappling gun off her belt, she fires it across the room towards the stairs. Its enough to pull her out of the way. Then its up stairs for her. Well out of the way. Once up there, she grabs some of the rope out of her belt and ties her leg off. Once done. She makes her way out and towards safety.

Ra's al-Ghul has posed:
Alpha closes his eyes as the smoke is deployed, keeping his mouth shut and catching his breathing in a diver's lung ballast. And as he hears Nightingale go racing past, the two other Assassins with him coughing at the smoke, he smiles, and then steps out of the smoke as it clears, his two minions following. The fear gas ebbing, he holsters his pistols in his shoulder holsters, one after the other, and stands before Batman, adjusting his sunglasses. "Hello, Batman." The two bikers step up behind him, with their hooks and chains. "I am afraid your game with the Joker has to come to a halt. The soul of this city was never to be won peaceably. Not with the things you've done."

Fyodor and Bruno each attach a hook to Batman's restraints, chaining him by the backs of his shoulders.

Batman has posed:
Bane is fast, but not as fast as the full-speed retraction of a grappling gun. His hands grasp empty air above the splash of blood on the floor where Nightingale had stood.

As he pivots to chase after the girl, Bane catches a glimpse of the assassins--and he slowly stands, his chest heaving.

Batman allows himself the faintest of smirks at the corner of his mouth. "Ra's doesn't get to make this choice. And even strapped in as I am, I could still take all of you. Let's get that clear. As for your employer ... he's deluded. The city can /only/ be won by embracing the rule of law--even if we differ on the employment of it."

Meanwhile, Bane slowly approaches the men near Batman, his footsteps heavy thuds on the floor. He says in a deep voice: "You've come here to die, then? Good!" With that statement, he swings an arm from over his head down, trying to play whack-a-mole with the nearest biker.

Ra's al-Ghul has posed:
Alpha cants his head to the side, his eyebrow rising and pushing the other down. "Who said about the Demon making the choice, Batman? Choice isn't something to be embraced by a single man. That's a rule the Demon created, you know. And he's talked to the Joker, personally, to gauge the clown's intent. I'd say you're a poor law student, but an excellent barrister." And then Alpha dances aside, having heard Bane's stealthy approach. Fyodor has his head smashed in by Bane with a crack, scream, and splatter on the ground. Bruno shouts in incoherent horror as Alpha springs into action, dancing off the ground with a long knife that emerges from his sleeve and landing aside Bane. He thrusts the knife backwards with his ambidextrous left into Bane's right side from the flank, the blade aimed at Bane's liver. Not a lethal wound, but extremely painful, and one that will kill you without medical treatment within twenty to thirty minutes, assuming pressure on the wound.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Nightingale keeps moving, using the grapple gun again, pulling herself up to the roof tops. Where the heck did Green Lantern go? She begins using a blend of movements with the staff and the grappling gun to keep moving. Its a long journey to her home. She hits the emergency button. Upon entering her apartment, she drops, passing out.

Batman has posed:
For his part, Bane stumbles backwards, grunting and reaching for the knife in his side. He slumps against the wall, his breathing haggard. "Will ... kill ... you ..." he chokes out.

Batman looks at Alpha. "Try to get me to leave with you, and it'll just make things worse for your boss. And the entire operation you have going." He inhales deeply. "I suggest you return to the drafting board."

Ra's al-Ghul has posed:
Alpha stands in place after stabbing Bane, a brief indulgence in theater, before he moves back to Batman. He leans in close. "You better be a better con artist than the Joker. Ra's al-Ghul sent me as a service to you. He wants you alive. Some day, he might explain it to you." Alpha raises his right finger, flicking the horn. "Detective." Alpha leans back and backs away, showing Batman both outstretched hands, before he looks to Bruno and nods. The two turn about, leaving Batman in his cell.

The two Apaches sweep overhead as Alpha and his team prepare to make their exit. Missiles are discharged as they fly down the over the buildings, the explosions rattling the road directly in front of Gotham Central. And then, the Apaches swept past, the soldiers sally forth out of Gotham Central first, before the ninjas, and finally Alpha and the remaining biker, climbing into their Blackhawks. They fly about and fly back towards the coast, to the oil tanker in international waters that Ra's is using as a base of operations.

A smoking police station facade is left behind, along with serious fire damage to several buildings.

Regardless of Joker's functionality against organized crime, the new question is his ability to handle terrorism without the National Guard present. And the National Guard may have differing opinions of how to run the society in comparison to the Clown Prince of Crime. Ra's al-Ghul doesn't play chess. He plays dice.

And the dice are loaded.