5806/The Postman

The Postman
Date of Scene:	18 November 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Melinda May, Grant Ward, Batman, Robin (Wayne)

---

Melinda May has posed:
The intel about Cal Johnson and his potential alliance with The Hand and / or one or more other Asian-based crime syndicates is something that May feels can't be ignored. She's sent a message out per previously established protocol to arrange and time and place for a meeting, then compiled the data into a USB stick and sealed it in a Tyvek envelope designed to make any evidence of tampering immediately obvious. She then taps a Level 7 agent to carry said envelope to said meeting place -- the rooftop of a building in one of the decidedly less savory parts of Gotham with a small florist's shop on the ground floor. She insisted that said agent wear a commlink and carry no weapons at all beyond an ICER. It's not like any of the current level 7 agents really need to be armed to the teeth anyway.

The message sent out was in the usual coded style, an email that would appear to be perfectly innocent to anyone who read it and sent to a previously agreed upon 'throwaway' email address. 'My boss is still working out of town, so I'm stuck minding the office through the beginning of December. I've sent my nephew to the store, I really hope he gets the right chrysanthemums this time.' Who will actually respond to the email and show up to receive the parcel is always a tossup.

Grant Ward has posed:
Grant Ward, Level seven Agent of SHIELD, is not standing on the rooftop. He is sitting agienst the wall to the stairwell, holding a bottle in a paper sack. He is wearing a pair of old dirty boots, army fatigue pants that look like they were last washed sometime the previous week, a flannal shirt stained with grime, a ball cap that reads "I still miss my ex wife, but my aim is getting better. Beside him on the ground is a well beaten backpack that looks like it's held mostly together by threads and habbit. The absoulte picture of one of the city's homeless population. "You sure this guy is going to show MAy?" he asks softly agienst the chill night air into the comm hidden in his ear. "It's going on two am."

Batman has posed:
    It is a strange experience, meeting the Batman. One moment Agent Ward is alone on the roof, and the next a dark and sinister figure is standing alongside him like a creature from gothic horror. The moonlight and the sodium glare from the lamp over the stairwell cast him mostly in shadow, leaving only the white eyelets of his cowl and the bat symbol emblazoned on his chest as the parts of him easily discerned. His arms are concealed within the cape wrapped around him, creating the effect of a looming shadow with two pointed ears and demonic eyes. The impact is made all the stranger when he speaks in a deep, ominous voice only to offer the most innocuous of greetings:
    "Hello."

Melinda May has posed:
"If no one shows by four, Ward, leave the item under one of the rooftop HVACs and leave." May's had to do that before. She doesn't LIKE doing that, but sometimes it's necessary.

Back in the Triskelion Operations Center, May turns her attention from her comm to one of the analysts nearby, and almost misses the low-pitched 'hello'. But she hears it and promptly tells the analyst to proceed and that she'll be in her office. She retreats there to listen carefully.

Grant Ward has posed:
Grant Ward is impressed. He'd be more impressed if he hadn't quite litterly been jogging with Captain America earlier that day, but still the man is a legend in his own right. The agent stands, slowly, ramrod straight and nods his acknowledgement to the living shadow. "Grant Ward, Agent of SHIELD." He says simply, giving the other man a chance to introduce himself.

Batman has posed:
    "Agent Ward, Interim Director May," Batman answers, his tone still deep and sinister despite the relatively light conversation. He's not trying to impose upon or threaten him, so there is no reason to do anything more than a little light intimidation. He assumes that his ally is listening in - if he hasn't tapped into the communications himself. He stands. He waits. They called for Batman and they got him.

Melinda May has posed:
Of course the Bat snuck up on Ward. He's one of less than four people that does that to her on a regular basis. But he's there.

"Ward, give him the parcel then you're free to head back to base." She doesn't verbally acknowledge the Batman's greeting, not cool to eavesdrop on secure SHIELD frequencies. Inwardly, she really really hopes that the younger Agent doesn't do something to antagonize the Batman. This intel exchange took a LOT of time to arrange.

Grant Ward has posed:
Grant Ward has the highest espionage rating since Romanov, he's not going to blow a simple package drop. He opens his coat slowly to show he is not reaching for a weapon, slowly withdraws the Tyvek envelope with his thumb and middle finger. The Icer in his waistband clearly visible but his hand no where near it. "With the director's compliments." He says holding it out to the masked man.

Robin (Wayne) has posed:
     Robin had indeed tapped into the feed from the Bat. Informing him of who was there. It was a while since he had taken Goliath out on patrol. The red bat dragon flew with a flap of his bat wings as they were above the buildings. The comma kept an ear on the situation while Goliath landed and had a snack of fresh salmon. While Robin himself leaned over to peer on the exchange.

  The boy wonder hadn't really an interest in ruining the drop, but he did like to follow Batman in some of his solo work. Robin watched the envelope as it was removed from the coat. "May..." They had met once, apparently she received a promotion, he did respect her combat prowess.

Batman has posed:
    Batman does not do the service of moving slowly and obviously. As soon as the envelope is offered, his gloved hand is suddenly stretching out to take it. Not to snatch it away, but to conclude the exchange as quickly as possible. He holds the envelope, turning it over slightly and giving it a quick once over to ensure it hasn't been opened or tampered with. Satisfied, he neatly tears it open and pours the flash drive contents into his hand. This too is given a cursory scan for any tracking devices or other bugs, leaving Grant to stand there and watch him as he examines it.
    "Good." When Robin speaks over the comms, the Bat glances for a moment in that direction before turning his attention back to Ward and offering a reassurance: "He's with me."

Grant Ward has posed:
Grant Ward nods slightly to Batman, as if fully accepting the other man vouching for the unseen presence. Once the package is confirmed recieved, he steps back slightly and touches to comm in his ear. "Objective complete May, withdrawing from the area." He turns to pick up his back pack and slings it over one shoulder, then turns around again to say "Pleasure meeting you, sir." ...provided that he is still there.

Robin (Wayne) has posed:
     Once Robin hears Batman comments on his presence, Robin drops, landing crouched behind the Caped Crusader, and standing back up with his cape draped around him, much like Batman does his. Covering his arms and concealing his movement from the ankles down. "Batman."

Batman has posed:
    When Grant turns back around, Batman hasn't disappeared. That's unusual for him, but it could be argued that this is his showing goodwill - not disappearing mid-conversation. He nods his head, handing the empty envelope back to Grant since he only needed the contents. He glances over his shoulder to Robin and then back to Ward: "This is Agent Ward. Agent Ward, Robin. I'm sure you're familiar."

Melinda May has posed:
In her office in the Triskelion, May stops what she's doing when the Batman implies that there's someone else there. That's... not something that's happened before. And then Ward speaks up, and she waits and listens carefully until the considerably younger-sounding voice joins in. Then she remembers and replies to the Agent in Gotham. "Acknowledged, Ward." And then there are actual introductions. She's never been given the courtesy of introductions... not that she's ever really cared about that kind of thing.

Grant Ward has posed:
Grant Ward glances at the new comer, and there is a moment.. just a moment... where like-recognises-like. Then he is back in full Agent mode. He slings the pack over his shoulder and metamophizes into the homeless drunk he was pretending to be when Batman first arrrived.

Robin (Wayne) has posed:
     Robin gives a nod to the SHIELD agent before he adopts the guise again. "What is in the drop?" He asks, crossing his arms in front of himself, asking the Batman himself.

Batman has posed:
    "Take it and find out," Batman answers, without ceremony passing the USB drive to Robin. He needs to learn these things, and he sees no point in hiding things from him. He watches Ward go, letting him leave without anything further. SHIELD agents always have things to do, it seems. The trade complete, he turns back to look out over the city below, "I'll see you back at base."

Melinda May has posed:
May takes a chance on the Batman listening in to their frequency and says probably where only Ward gets to hear, "Bat, the information on that memory stick has implications both far-reaching and affecting a SHIELD agent directly. If you find out anything involving the latter, contact me immediately."

And now to see if their comms were compromised after all or not.

Grant Ward has posed:
Grant Ward doesn't hesitate as he climbs down the fire escape in a drunks shambeling gait, but it is a near thing. He gets down to street level and shuffle walks into the night, or at least to an alley where he can change clothes and take on a different persona. Then it's the long flight back to DC and the Triskelion. Mission acomplished.

Robin (Wayne) has posed:
     Robin takes the offered USB drive and starts looking in his gauntlet computer. "A dirty agent?" He answers May's question. Though one should assume a Robin has the capabilities to do such, if not from equipment, from training. "Roger." He comments back to the bat, and blowing on the whistle for Goliath to return to Robin. The bat dragon obeying, with a satisfied snort.

Batman has posed:
    "I'll leave you to discuss," Batman answers, moving towards the edge of the rooftop, "I'll look into it, Madam Director." That said, he plunges away off the edge and into the dark.