7741/City Fall: Dangling Conversations

City Fall: Dangling Conversations
Date of Scene:	05 June 2019
Location:	29th Precinct Police Station - Harlem
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Daredevil, Elektra, Frank Quaid, Melinda May, Winter Soldier
Tinyplot:	City Fall

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Daredevil has posed:
Earlier...

It took a bit to realize Elektra wasn't with them. He made it out the side door like they planned and 'surrendered' to the waiting SHIELD agents, there were shouts, and talking and everything going on in Matt's head to keep him busy until her absence became suddenly clear.

"Elektra," he'd breathed, even as he slipped the cuffs on his wrists and went looking for her. The NYPD was here too it seemed and while he didn't see her go, his senses told the tale they got her.

Matt didn't bother checking back in with SHIELD or Danny, he just rushed straight for home, losing the Foot suit and putting on his day time suit a blue single breasted one with a red tie and waited for the phone to ring...

Now...

"Thank you officer," Matt says as he's shown to the interview room where they've seated Elektra. "I trust the camera is off?" he asks the man, who Matt can feel frowning at him.

"Yeah, it's off," the man growled.

"Excellent, then you can leave me alone with my client," and with that Matt shut the door, turning towards Elektra.

"Hey," he greets sliding out the metal chair on his side of the table and sitting down. "Got here as fast as I could. How are you doing?"

Elektra has posed:
It was a bit..unsettling to realize that these weren't Agent May's people after all, and that she'd been well and truly arrested. Though it only took her a short time to realize that even that was under the influence of Saki. The question was, how hard was he going to make this for her, and exactly what was going to be leaked out into the public eye.

Elektra hadn't been put into a holding cell yet, the officers keeping her in this room, chained to the table where she sat. Even so, their attempts at making this undignified as possible hadn't cowed the woman.

Instead, her lips and cheeks were pressed into a fine line of anger held in check. "I've been fingerprinted and informed I am to be charged with a Federal crime. I'm sure my mug shot looks hideous, though I've been spared the cavity check so far, and the unpleasant orange jump suit or louse spray, though I'm to believe that comes once they move me to a more permanent holding facility."

Her position in her seat shifts, and it's plain to see that they've made her chains shorter and tighter than is rightly necessary. "I hadn't even had time to ask for a lawyer?" Tilting her head at Matt before taking a long, slow breath, and longer to exhale, the gesture one of memory more than need. "I'm glad you came, Matthew. If they're working with Saki, then it isn't just the Natchios name that is about to be splattered over the papers."

Daredevil has posed:
"Foggy and I have a lot of friends in the NYPD it wasn't hard to find you," Matt says about how he arrived before she'd even called a lawyer. "And I'm sorry about all of this Elektra, I should have seen something like this coming, done something to get you out." Daredevil had squared off against the police before but never ones just doing their jobs.

He takes a breath taking Matt Murdock, lover out of the equation and trying to bring Matt Murdock, lawyer back in.

"Anyhow, yeah getting booked is a bit of a bitch, and we do have to watch out for Saki's people in here, but, I think if we can reach out to May we can clear this up before they can make any moves against you. As for your 'federal charge', destruction of money statutes go back to when money was gold and people shaved the edges to melt down the scraps, it's a reach applying it to your case. The rest of what happened? Well, we can work on that if it comes to it."

Elektra has posed:
"I fail to see how this was your fault, Matthew?" His apology seems slightly out of place given the circumstances. How was he to know? None of them had seen it, including herself, or Agent May whose job was to see exactly this sort of thing coming. "Unless you somehow have ways and means to manipulate the police, I doubt that there is much you could have done to prevent this. No, I was careless. That is all."

She's still upset - mostly with herself. If she'd not been so smug leaving the establishment, she might have avoided this whole thing. Even if she hadn't assumed it was SHIELD who had arranged her 'arrest'. She could have escaped if she'd treated this like any other assignment or mission.

"I don't know how far his reach extends, or what he plans. To some extent it doesn't gain him anything to let this farce carry to its logical conclusion. Then again, I have no doubt he's leaving me a pointed message." She'd done the same many times before, including setting that fight pot on fire. Fifteen million dollars worth of pointed words up in smoke. "I also doubt that the semantics of the legal issue are really what's at stake here. If he's manipulating the system, whether or not the charges can stick aren't the point, are they?"

Daredevil has posed:
If Matt has a failing, it's being able to find himself a piece of guilt for every bad turn. Elektra's words are correct, there was nothing he could have done, but still it feels like somehow he could have done /something/.

His hands flex and clench at the thought before he wills them to stop.

"Fair point about the legal side," Matt admits. "And if all you're being charged with is the destruction of currency, then Saki's just trying to make a point. If they were serious about the legal side of things, the cops would be sweating you to give up your accomplices or you'd eat the charges for all the damage we did at the event. So, yeah seems like he's just taking you off the board for a bit or sending a message, I say we send our own and call in May, get her to spring you, after all on paper it's SHIELD op, you were just 'helping out' like the rest of us. Might be able to kill the stories too if they haven't hit the press and the web yet."

It was wishful thinking when it came to the news.

"Anyhow, how do you want to handle this? And should I see if I can get you a call to Kosmos?" he asks, knowing the man would want to know what happened for a myriad of reasons.

Elektra has posed:
"Kosmos should know," Elektra agrees. "He'll want to start the process of mitigating the damage this is doing. I'm sure we'll come up with some way to cover the truth." She had to believe that. She also knew that despite Matt's wishful thinking, they probably couldn't keep this from the news. Which was another reason it was so imperative that Kosmos be involved sooner than later.

"Honestly, it's hard to say, Matthew. Until Saki makes his next move, this is something of a holding pattern. I can't break out of jail. The most I could do is push for bail to be declared, but unless we can manage to get me into a night session, I'm pretty much stuck here."

And, by the looks of it, Saki wasn't having his people push her through the booking system quickly at all, seeming to delight in keeping Elektra both waiting, and chained to a table. It was rather more insulting than other things that could be done. And while she could very well break free of her bindings, the only way out of the jail itself was to fight her way out, and that wouldn't be a thing she could cover up. Which left her exactly where Saki wanted her.

"Do you think your Agent May will be able to do anything?"

Daredevil has posed:
Matt nods, "They took my cellphone on the way in, but, I'll talk to someone about getting you your phone call, and if they stall I'll call Kosmo as soon as I leave the building," Matt says. It was important the man knew, he could do a lot more than Matt could to turn the wheels of power in their direcion and cover the truth of what happened.

"I'll try," Matt says about the night session. "But if Saki's doing his best to keep you here, I doubt we'll see much traction," he says. "Likely going to need to wait until morning and let Kosmos throw his weight around some to get things moving along."

"May? Sure, if she wants to step up and say you were working with SHIELD. If she doesn't, I know a couple of people who might be able to twist her arm on that."

Elektra has posed:
There's a short laugh from Elektra, "Oh, I get a phonecall? I thought that was just something they dreamed up for the movies. Who knew." Which is to say she's never been arrested before, or at least never made it this far into the process if she has been. "It's possibly better if you call him. Preferably on a secure line, away from here. I don't really trust Saki or his people not to be listening in. I consider anything said in this room to be common knowledge for him. You should too. And, yes, I know that's illegal."

She stops short of pointing out 'have you met Saki?'.

When he speaks of AGent May, Elektra merely nods. "Do what you think is best. Though I'm curious - who is twisting her arm?"

Daredevil has posed:
"No, it's a real thing," Matt assures her with a smile. "TV doesn't get it right often but sometimes," he says. Though he can't argue with him making the call instead of her. "Yes, the phones will be monitored, so I'll handle it."

As for the idea Saki might be listening, Matt shakes his head, "Nobody outside the door and no electronics, he might have missed that trick tonight, but going forward I expect he'll be listening." Matt after all could hear the tell tale buzz of most electronics if he made an effort to let it in.

"I know a couple of her agents, they've got pull from what I understand."

Elektra has posed:
"Well," Elektra says dryly. "Thank-goodness for small mercies. Whatever would I do if they'd messed up my one phonecall. Though they don't seem inclined to give it too me. These shackles are a pain as well."

Not literally, as Elektra was rather immune to such things since her death, but in a figurative sense. They limited her motion, and they were cutting into her skin. They most certainly were shorter than they needed to be. Again, messages were being sent, though Elektra didn't know if Saki were entirely responsible. He may just have likely said they needn't show her any favours or treat her kindly despite her station.

Daredevil has posed:
There's an amused snort from Matt. "Small victories?" he offers wryly, "But I'll see what I can do about the shackles."

He stands then, "Hold tight here for a few, and I'll go make those phone calls see if we can get Kosmos working for us, and see if I can reach May through the line she gave us. Once I've done that, I'll have a better idea of what we can do and what we're up against."

Elektra has posed:
"Tell Kosmos to use the secured account. He'll know which I mean." Which suggested Elektra had either always had layers to her business, or she'd not lost a few habits from her time as the Fist that Rules the Hand. Either way, it seemed Kosmos would know what to do, and where to begin, including how to fund whatever might be necessary.

It must be nice to be rich enough not to have to worry about some things.. Then again, if she's actually using off the book accounts, it's clear Elektra expects her others will have been frozen, either legally or illegally.

Frank Quaid has posed:
Frank checks his firearm before entering cells and waits to be buzzed in. Once inside he steps inside the duty sergeant's office and closes the door. A minute later he comes out and the duty sergeant goes into the monitor room.

He walks down one of the halls past the prisoner phone booths and raps at room 4. He lets himself in without waiting for answer. Frank looks over the two people in the room. He himself is an unremarkable blue suit and black shoes with a dour expression on his face.

"Mr. Murdock," he greets, not terribly surprised to find him here. "What the hell is going on?" he demands of Matt.

Daredevil has posed:
Nodding Matt says, "I'll pass that along."

Then reaching over he puts his hand on her hand. "I'll be right back, need anything?" he asks her. Though not long after the words are spoken in walks Frank Quaid. The voice and the sensoy profile is familiar.

"Captain Quaid," he greets. "Didn't expect they'd put you on this one, I was just about to make some calls on behalf of my client, but if you're going to be questioning her, I'll stick around."

Elektra has posed:
"I'd say a coffee," Elektra laughs, as it's tye typical drink, and not really what she'd ask for anyway, "But my hands are rather tied up." Plus there's the small matter of not needing food or drink. Something she'll have to remember to make a fuss about at an appropriate time - needing both like anyone else might.

"Thank-you, Matthew," she sighs softly as his hand touches hers and he promises to get this dealt with.

It's a sigh that lasts only as long as it takes Quaid to enter the room, at which point Elektra's face becomes an impassive mask.

Melinda May has posed:
At the main entrance of this police precinct, a black SUV lacking any noticeable markings pulls to a stop and lets out two people. One, the sort of individual that could resemble one of the President's secret agent bodyguard types, the other, an Asian woman of seemingly average stature for her ethnicity. (Translation, she's TINY next to the beefcake.) Both enter the precinct and the SUV drives on.

Walking right up to the front desk with the beefcake looming along silently, May addresses the individual there. "I was sent to meet with attorney Matt Murdock. I was told he is here with a client." No, she does not identify herself.

Winter Soldier has posed:
The beefcake in question is smart enough to come in unarmed - cop shops are generally gonna have some kind of metal detector. Well, relatively speaking. James Barnes does have some fairly good suits, and he's wearing one of them now - dark gray, french blue shirt, darker blue tie. He doesn't introduce himself either. He just looks....kind of bored. The question is if anyone remembers that face from either their history textbooks or previous Wanted posters or Interpol notices.

Frank Quaid has posed:
The faint electric hum of the camera mounted inside a metal and glass casing has stopped. There are no microphones, but the cameras never turn off for security reasons.

"I'm not the investigator," Frank says. "I'm here because half the deputies are having fits right now. Maynard is ready to call back half of everybody and the mayor is calling wanting to know what she is doing in cells," he finishes, pointing in Elektra's direction. "I really don't care if she's mad at an ex or just has a deathwish, but I'd sure like to know just what she started tonight."

Captain Steve Maynard is in the Organized Crime Bureau and runs several of their teams.

The officer at the desk looks up from her computer and through the bullet proof glass at the Asian woman and her bodyguard. "I'm sorry, we can't give out information about who is here or not. Is there an officer you'd like to leave a message for?"

Daredevil has posed:
Matt nods, moving from his side of the table to sit down on Elektra's side. He was familiar with Maynard as he and Daredevil often had intersecting interests.

"Give me a moment to speak to my client?" he asks Quaid before leaning over to Elektra and offering in the barest of whispers. "Up to about what you want to say, no records, but it is still something that could be used against you if any of this goes to trial. My best advice is always to say nothing, until you're in a room with ADA who can offer you a proffer."

That said he stays close by to hear any repsonse.

Elektra has posed:
Elektra's answer is a tight lipped smile that just *dares* Quaid to have an opinion. Then again, there was a time when she had hunted her ex down with intent to kill. She just hadn't managed it. In the end, it had been her saving grace.

Melinda May has posed:
May actually tilts her head slightly as she levels her most unimpressed stare at the officer behind the glass. Producing her honestly official SHIELD badge as if through sleight of hand, she holds it up for the officer to see.
"Matt Murdock and Elektra Natchios. Which room are they in? If you can't answer that, get me the precinct chief." Her voice has not changed in volume of inflection. At all.

Winter Soldier has posed:
Well, Buck's left the dog at home, at least. Harder to be intimidating when you've got a service dog stuck to your side. He produces no badge - though ironically, considering how many laws he's broken in how many countries, he does have one. Looking around in apparent idleness.

Frank Quaid has posed:
The officer at the front desk squints at the badge May holds up, purses her lips and exhales slowly.

"Stay here please," she says. She buzzes herself through a door and disappears. A few minutes later, she returns to her place and looks at the put out looking young drunk woman at the front of the line. "Next."

A side door opens and another officer walks in, a sergeant. He looks more annoyed than anything else.

"ID," he says perfunctorily. He accepts ID from both and leads them into one of the adjoining interview rooms. They're left there for about five minutes and then he comes back. He returns their SHIELD ID.

"This way."

He buzzes the interior door open and leads the two agents through into a hallway. They walk past uniformed and plainclothes officers going in both directions, who pay no attention to them other than that some nod to the sergeant. He takes around a corner and down a set of stairs, then buzzes into a hallway that is all painted cement and smells, like all cells do, of antiseptic and street feet. He stops at the gun boxes.

"Weapons," he says and points at the boxes. He waits, it is after all well known and standard that you never, ever, EVER, bring weapons into cells. Ever.

If they ditch what they have, he gets buzzed in by someone inside cells and holds the door. Then he walks them down a hall and knocks at a room labelled 'Counsel 4'.

Frank turns and opens the door with a frown. "What?" he asks brusquely, and looks at the two people with the sergeant up and down.

"SHIELD," the sergeant says with a jerk of the thumb at the two. "Here for them, sir," he says and points at the two at the table inside the room.

Frank exhales slowly and then puts on a polite smile. He steps aside and gestures into the room for the agents to enter. The sergeant heads off as the door closes again.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt really expected nothing else from Elektra. He settles back in his chair giving Quaid a 'what can I do' shrug and spreads his hands.

The SHIELD agents arrive then and Matt turns his attention warily to the door. He liked SHIELD and had a good sense from May, but he wasn't ready to be relieved until he was sure they weren't going to be thrown to the wolves.

Melinda May has posed:
Like Barnes, May knew better than to show up with her usual arsenal, so she puts her only visible weapon -- her ICER -- into the gun box. No one else needs to know that the silk sash whip in her pocket is as much a weapon as her own hands or any random object she can pick up.

With that done, she follows the sergeant to the room where the others are and nods to Quaid politely enough as she and her looming beefcake shadow step into the room. Of course, the typically Vulcanesque flat stare she levels at Elektra and Matt (shame that it's completely useless on the latter) likely offers the impression that the pair are in some manner of trouble with SHIELD.

"Agent May," she tells Quaid tersely. "We're here to take Ms. Natchios into custody."

If the officer wants more, he's going to have to ask. Please play along, Matt.

Elektra has posed:
Oh, the smug. It takes on a glittering light of it's own in Elektra's eyes, while the rest of her features remain an impassive mask of waiting for the rest of the interminable protocol and posturing to be done with. There's really not a lot she can do about the noise this was making, but she could enjoy it since it was happening.

Hopefully between her team and SHIELD's they could mitigate the worst of the damage.

Sadly, Quaid isn't on her radar as an independant concern.

Winter Soldier has posed:
It's kind of his first real public dance as an actual agent. In the back of his mind, he's amused. But Buck refrains from grinning like a yokel about it. Emulating May's deadpan, instead. It's kind of fun to watch Melinda roast beef the NYPD.

Frank Quaid has posed:
Frank's eyes narrow but he gives no hint that he has met May before.

"Captain Quaid, Counterterror Bureau," he replies. "Special Crimes is one of my units and half the department is worked up about what happened. If you're taking her, I need more, and something I can sell up the chain."

Daredevil has posed:
There's some easing of the tension in Matt's shoulders when he hears May's here for Elektra. Still his expression remains in flat lawyer face while the Director and Quaid talk.

As for Bucky the agent gets the slightest of nods, when Quaid's attention is directed elsewhere.

Melinda May has posed:
May stares at Quaid for a long moment, studying him the whole time. Then, she offers what she can, trying to use as much truth as possible even if it puts Elektra in a less flattering light. "Ms. Natchios was breaking up a prize fighting ring assembled by several of the organized crime groups that plague Manhattan. She was there violating /my/ jurisdiction, and any fall out amongst said crime groups is on me to deal with. Hence, she's mine to deal with."

She's of course, very careful to NOT mention anything about any sort of beyond average human abilities amongst anyone in the room, because that would potentially incriminate all of them except Quaid.

And maybe May.

Winter Soldier has posed:
Winter Soldier nods back, only to look embarrassed, after a beat. Blind guy is not going to see that, Barnes. Though this blind guy is clearly something else.

Frank Quaid has posed:
Frank looks at May for just a second and then shrugs.

"Good enough. Send me the rendition certificate and I'll tell OC it's a non-issue," he tells May and moves to the door.

"She's all yours. I've got to go talk to Caruthers about the Ellis case."

The last is meaningless to the agents, but not to Murdock. Caruthers heads up Internal Affairs and the Ellis case is one of Foggy's. Caruthers would only be involved if something had gone badly wrong with someone on that case. A blatant gift, but that is the coin of the realm and the grease that makes wheels turn. Frank lets himself out, makes sure the door closes behind him and then stops in to talk with the cell sergeant. The cameras stay off.

Daredevil has posed:
There's a smile from Matt at Bucky's look, proof enough he can see him somehow, but Matt doesn't elaborate.

Matt's ears all but perk up at the gift laid in his lap. His smile makes plain his understanding as he nods, "I hear Caruthers can be a real bear, good luck, Captain," he says with a nod. Foggy will litterally be jumping up and down when Matt shares that little tidbit. It made a crappy night better.

"And we'll have to talk soon," he says to the departing Captain.

Then Matt stands, head turning in Elektra's direction, "See, told you things would work out," he offers with a smile.

Elektra has posed:
There's a soft grunt of sound from Elektra, who is /still/ chained to the table. "You'll forgive me if I don't celebrate until after we're out of here."

Her look is cast Agent May's way. "I presume there will be the requisite layover at SHIELD headquarters to cover the necessary paperwork?"

Whether or not said paperwork actually happens.

Melinda May has posed:
The moment Quaid is out of the room, May crouches down and produces a slim set of lockpicks from the cuff of the low-heeled boots she's wearing with her business suit. Rather than get Elektra out of the cuffs herself, she hands the lockpicks to Barnes.

"We're going to need to walk you out the door like you're still in custody, so don't get too happy yet." She then looks over at Matt. "In fact, feel free to protest as loudly as you want."

Winter Soldier has posed:
Buck shakes his head at May....and for the first time, that deadpan fissures into a positively impish smile. For a moment, he's the grinning boy from the newsreels. A little gesture of his right hand, the motion of a magician palming something, and out comes a handcuff key.

Whereupon he leans over and unlocks her cuffs.

Daredevil has posed:
"Sure," Matt says. "And if you want to win some points around here, throw me in some cuffs as well," he offers with a grin.

Though before anyone can take that offer seriously, he storms out of the room, stopping to say, "This isn't over Director, I'm going to call the ACLU and DBC and by tomorrow the bridge of the Triskelion's going to be packed with protesters, whatever good you guys do, /this/ Gestapo shit, isn't going to fly," he says pitched loudly enough to carry down the hall. "Elektra, sit tight, don't say anything," he adds before he strides off down the hall behind sweeps of his cane, frowning outwardly, save for the amused glint in his eyes.

Shame Foggy wasn't here, he'd have thrown an Oscar worthy shit fit and loved every minute of it.

Elektra has posed:
Because it's necessary for the act, Elektra makes a point of rubbing her wrists, where she does bear marks. Someone had been quite unkind setting those manacles. Likely to leave those marks. Possibly to leave questions in the minds of those who saw them and how little damage was done otherwise.

"I don't make fusses," Elektra says simply to May. "I kill people. I make people wish they were dead. But I don't make fusses. If you have to raise your voice, you've already lost the argument."

Now that she's free, she waits patiently for her escort to acknowledge it was time to leave.

Melinda May has posed:
May looks at Bucky and the handcuff key that explains his impish grin and refusal of the lockpicks, then with the faintest amused twitch of her lips conceals her lockpicks again. "However you wish, then, Ms. Natchios. Barnes, if you would, please."

She indicates that he should resecure her as a prisoner for transport, figuring he'd likely know as many completely effective ways of doing so as she does, and then more besides.

Matt's rather excellent protest does not go unnoticed, and she might have to fix him some fried dumplings in thanks. Or something. "We need to be moving. Quickly."

Winter Soldier has posed:
What Bucky does is do a job of ziptieing her that looks much more cruel and impressive and is actually way less effectivethan cuffs. All for the theatre of it. "Confirm," he says, in a flat tone utterly belied by the way his eyes are gleaming.

Elektra has posed:
There's a flicker of amusement betrayed by Elektra as first, Matt makes fuss enough for them all, and then secondly Bucky zip ties her hands into a formation that a small child could get out of before the words 'all done' had left your mouth.

"As you wish, Agent May. But I do have to say I don't plan on being co-operative. As per my counsel's advice."

Which, again, if you're watching, causes that self same amusement to light in the blue of her eyes before disappearing as quickly as it came.

Melinda May has posed:
May nods to Barnes and Elektra without bothering to check the zip ties -- it's almost like she trusts the man or something -- and then leads them out the door and back the way they came. She collects the items they had to leave in the gun boxes, holstering her own ICER and continuing to lead the way out.

She does her best to make it look like she's slightly harried, and she's honestly looking to see where Matt went. He's surprisingly fast even when he's doing the whole glasses and cane schtick.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt is damn quick when he wants to be, and when the group exits the precinct Matt's outside cellphone glued to his ear, looking agitated even as he stands next to the SHIELD SUVs.

When the group arrives, he lowers the phone and tucks it in his pocket, grinning, "So, we want me to drive or what?" he asks already moving around to the passenger side.

Elektra has posed:
Here Elektra speaks up, speaking under her breath, making it debatable who hears, though Matt certainly does, "Only if I get to steal the car."