9908/Late or Early

Late or Early
Date of Scene:	04 November 2019
Location:	Apartment 63A, R.H. Kane Building
Synopsis:	Kate and Jason make plans over bao to visit Lucifer, this time with back up and conunter-measures, just in case.
Cast of Characters:	Red Hood, Batwoman

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Red Hood has posed:
It was that nebulous hour between late at night and early morning when Jason rolled in the door after his 'night job' had wrapped up. Checking on Ivy's island, dropping supplies, responding to shootings in the Narrows, punching the guys who did the shooting, plus an extra dollop of the usual Bat-bullshit, with the rest of the family. He yawns, and hip checks the door closed behind him carrying a bag of some kind of take-out.

A quick 'bra check' is thrown down towards Kate's bedroom before Jason calls out. "Hey, got Chinese if you want some."

Then the former Boy Wonder wanders off towards the dining area, yawning again.

Batwoman has posed:
The large TV console in the living room pivots open slowly at the sound of Jason's voice, showing Kate still partially in-costume herself. The wig and cowl are gone, but the Batwoman lipstick remains. She is still wearing the close-fitting bodysuit and cape as well, although the gloves are off.

Stepping out into the living room she offers a small smile "I'll never turn down Chinese." she offers. "You get it local?" Apparently Batwoman has had her own patrols to maintain tonight. "I started some coffee a few minutes ago, or there's also soda in the fridge."

Red Hood has posed:
There's a smirk from Jason, finding Kate just getting back herself, "Looks like my timing rocks," he says, as he swings past Kate towards the dining area letting her take care of her wardrobe, though he does pause to examine the whole TV set up. "That's clever," he says. "So your apartment is your Cave? Hell of a time saver."

He sets the bag down in the dining area and carries on to the kitchen, "Yeah, it's this little hole in the wall place in China Basin, used to hang out there when I was a kid, did odd jobs, best bao in the city," he says of the food, and the smell coming from his bag seems to back up his claim. "I am assuming you want the coffee, black right?" he asks remembering she took it army style. For his part he pulls a soda from the fridge cracks the top and takes a long pull while he waits for word on the coffee.

Batwoman has posed:
Kate Kane chuckles at that, padding out into the living room with Batwoman's measured, confident gait. It's funny about costumes and attitudes. Even without the mask and wig, Kate still -moves- like the noctournal predator. "Yes it is, really. Sometimes I really do wish I had a pole to slide down to get to my 'cave', but architecturally it would have caused an abundance of problems."

She reaches up to remove the red-lined cape, draping it carefully over the back of a chair. "Hole in the wall Chinese? Those are the best kind of places. And yes, Army-style would be great." Fingers tousle the crimson, pixie-cut hair. "Busy night out there?"

Red Hood has posed:
Jason pauses a moment to watch Kate, appreciate her game, everyone in the family had their walk that said a little about who they were, Kate as Batwoman, definitely prowled and stalked, Jason's shared some of those predatory elements, but his was more shark-like, steady with impending threat. Though at the moment he leans against the fridge and laughs, "Yeah, plus having them cart a fire pole past the door man would have raised eyebrows." he adds as he pushes off the fridge, sets down the soda and gets Kate's coffee.

"Definitely, after eating their as a kid, I can't stand the westernized stuff, too sweet," he says of the Chinese food before appearing with their drinks and grabbing a seat by the bag. "Yeah, flyby of Ivy Island with Batgirl to drop supplies and take surveilance snaps, then the gangs in the Narrows decided tonight would be a fun time to start shooting at each other..." he shakes his head digging into the bag to hand out the still-warm pork dumplings, individually wrapped. "Pretty standard stuff, but on top of that Dick's back in town and Bruce gave him the suit, oh and I met with Zach and spoke to Lucifer... that was... interesting."

Batwoman has posed:
Kate Kane looks around for a moment, then decides that Jason has matters well in-hand and settles carefully onto a seat at the kitchen table. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Usually the fastest way to ruin good Chinese or Mexican food is to 'Americanize' it." She smiles wryly at the mention of Dick being back in down, and he can almost see the lightbulb go off in her head. It explains much.

"I'd heard that 'Batman' was up and out making the city safe again." she remarks, managing to keep a straight face in spite of pronouncing the air quotes. "But no matter who actually wears the suit, it's just as important for the rest of us to do our jobs out there. Even moreso."

She helps to set out the little white paperboard crates while they talk. "So did Zach meet Lucifer yet? In any case, don't keep me in suspense."

Red Hood has posed:
Jason hands over one of the bao to Kate before he unwraps one for himself and takes a bite, eyes half-closing as he does, "God these were a good idea," if he doesn't say so himsel! "And yeah, mexican food too, once you've had the real thing, the rest is just sort of there..."

"Yep, that's him," Jason confirms of 'Batman'. "Bruce is still laid up, and Dick's going all Daniel Day-Lewis on the role, it's pretty funny to see him struggle to keep all stern all the time," he says with a wry bit of humour before he nods. "Yeah, we do, but you know how me and Dick get along," he says. "So," he raises his soda can. "Thanks for giving me a place to go so I don't shoot our new 'Batman.'"

He shakes his head and takes a swig of his soda, "Yeah, dick move right?" he says of not getting to the goods right off the bat, though he smiles as he says it. The smile doesn't last into the telling though, "Yeah, Zach met him, couldn't confirm if he was the real deal or not, but he confirmed he had power, hell the kid sensed him coming from down the block, so, good pick there for magical back up, Zack knows his stuff." Jason has another quick sip of soda before carrying on. "Lucifer though, he had a wild story to tell, he said he talked to Bruce after he died and was the one to send him back to the world of the living, which is where the demons come in. He says a door was opened when Bruce came through and this demoness, the one we call Mom, followed him, then held tfhe door open for all her friends, hence the demon invasion."

Jason shoots Kate a look as if to say, 'I know, right?' and he sighs. "I dunno,. believed him at the time, but I've had a couple of talks with Bruce and Dick and really the more I say it the more it sounds like a plot to a bad horror movie, but regardless, Bruce wants this to be our top priority."

Batwoman has posed:
Kate Kane leans in (to keep drips off of her batsuit), taking a big bite as well. "I strongly agree..." she mutters while chewing. At the description of Dick's enthusiasm, Kate actually rolls her eyes while chewing. "He wears bodyarmor, same as everyone else." she offers. Not that any one of them -couldn't- take down any one of the others, of course. They all have their own strengths and weaknesses, after all.

She smiles at his assessment of Zach, looking more than pleased. "All he needs are the fishnets and the ass." she quips back. "But yeah, he's got that sort of quiet competence you don't often find in kids his age. Or anywhere, for that matter." She takes another bite, smaller this time. To savor it.

Crimson brows lift at the suggestion that Bruce's return was responsible for the demon invasion. "So did Bruce say anything about... well... dying? Because either way, I'm inclined to call bullshit on Lucifer's hypothesis. Unless we have some way to -capture- one of these critters and give them a proper interrogation."

Red Hood has posed:
"Right, I agree with you there, but at the same time I can see what Dick is trying to do, give Gotham the same Batman as they've always had, just you know shorter and prettier," a smirk at that, because when does Jason pass up a shot at Dick. "Not that I blame him, Batman, er, Bruce laid it on thick with the whole passing of the mantel thing, I was there, I have to admit, it almost got me to wish it was me," a beat. "Almost."

"Oh there was plenty of fishnets and ass at the club, when we rolled in Lucifer was doing auditions for a show, literal line up of women out the door, if I'd known, I'd have called you," Jason chuckles. "And yeah, he did great, questions were on point, he didn't get shaken by Lucifer, oh and despite being like twelve or whatever," as if Zach was any more than four or five years younger than Jason, "He was totally winking at the ladies as we came in and wanted to come back on his off time." That last bit spoke to the kid's confidence more than competence but it was too amusing not to share.

"He basically told me the same story Lucifer did, died, talked to Lucifer, Lucifer basically sent him back for shits and giggles. On top of that Babs found some intel before all this that has the first demon attacks happening at the exact moment Bruce started to breathe again." He rubs his brow, pausing a moment at the mention of interrogation of one of these demons. "Babs and I did one of the lesser ones, dumb as hell, don't know much, but maybe if we can pin down Mom she might have more answers, Lucifer said holy water hurts them, so we have options there."

Batwoman has posed:
Kate Kane brow-waggles at the mention of the club, and she chuckles softly. "I'd only hate myself in the morning." she replies, but the wry expression dares him to believe her. When he mentions Zach wanting to come back to the club on his own time Kate -almost- chokes on her coffee. Almost. But she laughs as well. "He's probably old enough to at least pass on a fake ID, Jason. Not that you'd have any experience in that area, of course." Deadpan.

"So it comes back to this Mom-person again. Or whatever she is. We'll get some holy water, maybe borrow a couple of crosses from Huntress, and see if we can have a little party." Kate reaches for another dumpling, then. "I'm both pleased and disturbed with Lucifer. He knows your street-face or the Hood? I'd like to meet him sometime as well, but I don't think that Kate would do the part justice. I just have this feeling that 'Mom' isn't going to be easily captured without scattering her over 3 or 4 city blocks."

Red Hood has posed:
Laughing at the brow waggle, Jason leans an elbow on the table saying, "Trust me, Kate some of them would be worth the self-hatred," not that there would be too much danger of that. He grins broadly though when they get to Zach, "Yeah, that was my reaction too," he says before putting on an innocent face, "I have no idea what you're talking about, Kate, nobody ever used the document lab in the cave to make themselves fake IDs."

Jason nods with Kate's assessment of Lucifer, "Yeah, me too, and just the Hood so far, calls me Red, but if he's telling the truth about Bruce, he might know who most of the Robins are, unless Bruce's soul wears the bat suit," a small wry smile follows, "Which I'm not ruling out as a possibility," he says before nodding about Mom. "Yeah, that's my feeling too, as much as I am sure she has all sorts of answers I don't see her going down easy or staying caught if we do take her down."

He shake shis head. "So, should we be planning a trip out to Lux? I've been there a couple of times now, we could probably sneak in from upstairs in our costumes if we want to go that route. I've been going with just my domino mask, not sure if your suit breaks down like that, you know," gesturing at her hair.

Batwoman has posed:
Kate Kane's grin broadens, but at least she doesn't blush at the mention of the club girls. Nope, not a shy one at all is Miss Kane. "Well we've often joked that Bruce has Alfred embroider bats onto his underwear, but all kidding aside I wouldn't be surprised if his soul also wore the logo. Assuming it actually worked that way."

"Let's take a trip to Lux in full costume, I think. Any pointers on armament load-out? You did mention that this Lucifer has a pretty buff girlfriend, so I'm thinking .44 magnum hollowpoints. Unless you'd suggest something more exotic. Not that I'm expecting trouble, but having TWO Bats in the room sometimes makes people... uncomfortable. And prone to making bad decisions."

"Speaking of which, I'm wondering if Mom has any other specific weaknesses. Wooden stakes? Silver bullets? Cold-forged iron? Four-leaf clovers? Lucifer might have other insight."

Red Hood has posed:
The broad smile is met with one from Jason himself, "Figured you'd enjoy that," he says before moving on, chuckling softly, "Yeah, no clue how it works, but if that's the case I wouldn't be surprised," he says of Bruce's soul, the parts of Bruce that were Batman were in there deep.

"Oh, you'll want to see this," Jason says when they start talking loadout, producing his WayneTech Prometheus, and bringing up the holodisplay running back a video he'd downloaded off the Batcomputer, one showing Lucifer's blonde girlfriend and the lady with the glowing sword fighting on some rooftop. "The .44 hollowpoints would be a good spot to start, I'm going to be bringing the same, but the lady with the sword is basically a bouncer for the club, from what Lucifer says," the sword burns through the blonde's line, "So not sure what to recommend to counter that, except, be fast, very fast."

"Yeah, would be good to know, he told me 'holy stuff' stopped these demons, so we know that much but if there's more specifics, he didn't give them up at the time, but then I didn't ask, the whole thing was a bit surreal."

Batwoman has posed:
Kate continues eating as she shifts, leaning closer to look at the video on-screen. "Just when I thought that -one- Catwoman is enough." she mutters. "Nice moves, for all that. And she kept up with the bouncer pretty well, at least until she bailed."

"I'm going to load heavy on flash and smoke as well. The bouncer relies pretty heavily on her sword, so I think distract and disorient first. The energy blast could become inconvenient, as could the whole 'blazing sword' schtick." Kate pauses, touching fingertips to her costumed forearm. "Non-neutonian coating. It's really good at turning high-velocity projectiles. Not nearly as effective against blades."

"Surreal? You mean the girls were -that- distracting, or was there something else? It sounds like this Lucifer knows more than anyone else, but I just had a terrible thought. What if he's really responsible?"

Red Hood has posed:
"Right? I am sure our Catwoman is super-thrilled about the competition," Jason says before nodding about how she does. "Yeah, she definitely has game, she kept up with one of those demons basically on her own at the Maniax party."

"Good idea," he says about the flash and smoke. "I should have a few ones for vaporized holy water too, Lucifer mentioned the bouncer's some kind of demon as well."

Which really lends itself to the whole Lucifer's responsible theory.

"Heh, no, but just Lucifer, he had like no reaction to me surprising him at his club, not like some of the guys we deal with where the put on a good face, but like it was all totally normal, threw me off, and then when I was talking to him, I dunno, it was really easy to say more than I meant to say." He takes a breath and considers all of that now that he's said it, "Yeah, it's possible, but I dunno, we'll meet him and see what you think, maybe you'll have a clearer head about it than I did." Though it does look as though that idea has found some purchase.

Batwoman has posed:
Kate Kane pauses, pursing her lips at Jason's account. "It sounds to me like our friend Lucifer could have been doing a little mental tampering." she asks. To her credit it's an objective question, not an accusing one. "One day Bruce needs to develop an antidote or a spray to stash in the utility belt to protect against -that- sort of nonsense."

"I won't go into this with any preconceived notions, but between the two of us we need to keep each other sharp. Maybe he affects women differently than men or something, I don't know." She pauses, then adds. "Wouldn't hurt to have Oracle online as well."

Red Hood has posed:
He hated to admit it, but Kate was right, "Yeah, does sound that way doesn't it?" he says with a sigh, a nod given to the tone of the question, though, it's appreciated. He's likely going to be kicking himself for being mentally whammied anyhow. "Seriously, with Lucifer and Ivy around that may end up being a bit of a thing." The mind stuff he means.

"Agreed," he says of them keep each other on task and focused. "Now that I think of it, though seems it was doing something to the ladies as well, either that they were /really/ into him," he adds before nodding. "Good idea, she'd be good to have checking on us both from a safe distance."

Batwoman has posed:
Kate Kane smiles indulgently at Jason. No need to apologize, after all. "Tactically speaking, I'd suggest travelling in groups of two at a minimum. I'd prefer having remote monitoring via headset. And everyone should have a 'buzzer' for each other. So if I think you're being compromised I can shock you to break things up. And vice-versa." She shrugs, then. "Just something I've been toying with."

Kate's upper lip twitches, then, and she chuckles. "I very much look forward to meeting him, then. And if *I* show any signs of being 'into him', you have my permission to sucker-punch me."

Red Hood has posed:
Giving Kate a grateful look as he does, Jason nods, "That makes sense," he says of the pairs with a third doing overwatch from somewhere else. There's a smile for the bit about the buzzers, "That's a good idea, just remember to only press mine if it looks like I've been whammied, not because I'm a jerk." A snort then a serious suggestion, "We should probably give Babs control of both as well, just as a way to reach out and smack us both."

There's a laugh there, "Noted," he says. "Sounds like we have a plan then, just need to loop in Babs and pick a night."

Batwoman has posed:
Kate Kane chuckles softly at Jason's request, then stabs a finger onto the tabletop. "BZZZT!" she replies playfully. "That definitely sounds like a plan to me. She may have more experience with this sort of stuff than either of us as well. I'd like her opinion on the effects of pain on mind control. As well as her estimate on the required voltage."

Again with the brow-waggling. "Let's keep in touch on this, whoever gets a hold of Babs first. Alternately we can just see if Zach can somehow screen us from Lucifer's influence. But I hate the idea of dragging the kid all over Gotham's rooftops if things go sideways."

Red Hood has posed:
Jason laughs, "Remember, I've got a button too, right," he says before the image of the both convulsing with electricity across from Lucifer, makes him shake his head. "So, anyhow it's a good plan assuming we don't zap ourselves unconcious first."

There's a smirk about the required voltage and the brow waggling that follows. "Sure, whoever talks to her first can loop the other in, and I can give Zach a call, maybe he can do something to shield us that we can take with us without having to drag him. I mean, it's magic, who knows?"

Batwoman has posed:
Kate Kane lifts both brows at that, nodding. "Sort of a magical innoculation? I like that idea, if Zach thinks it'll work. You're right, of course, we could end up putting each other BOTH out of commission before we ever get on-site."

Her expression becomes more thoughtful as she reaches for another dumpling. "The more I think about it, though, the less I trust Lucifer. I'd like to get Bruce's opinion, if he's lucid enough to give one."

Red Hood has posed:
"Yeah, something like that, to block out the whammy, he should have had a decent look at the sort of thing that Lucifer was putting out at that meeting. I'll call him, see what he says," he adds before smiling. "Only if we can't manage to be adults with those buttons," he says about the buzzers. "So... like fifty-fifty shot?" he adds.

Jason slides the dumplings over after grabbing a new one for himself, "Depends on when you see him, but he might even be mobile, we reached out to some people to help heal him, I think it's supposed to be soon. Regardless, he's awake and definitely ready to share opinions asked for or not," Jason says the last coming a bit wryly.

Batwoman has posed:
Kate Kane continues nibbling, and just smiles at the fifty-fifty assessment. "It just occurs to me that Bruce is a lot closer to this thing than any of us. And if he vouches for Lucifer then that's enough for me. I'm just not counting on him being one-hundred percent about this one." Pausing with the dumpling mid-air, she looks thoughtful.

"So hopefully Lucifer can be more helpful with Mom, but I've got to believe that she is key to all of this. Did Lucifer say anything about closing the door again?"

Red Hood has posed:
Unwrapping his boa, he pauses before taking a bite to answer, "Well, Bruce wasn't sure at first, swore it was a hallucination, but that's before he knew that Lucifer told me the same story, after that he was still skeptical, but wanted to make the demons top priority in case there was a chance it was true," he takes that bite, chewing and swallowing quickly. "You know him, if it is true, he's going to take every life the demons take personally." He set his dumpling down and goes for his soda. "Anyhow it'd be good for you to visit see what you're read on him is, and hell just give the guy some company, he's been stuck up in his room with Alfred for most of the last..." he draws a blank. "However long it's been."

He shakes his head, "No, he didn't mention, about shutting the door, my read was Mom's the one holding it open, if she goes it slams shut again, but we should confirm," he shakes his head and looks at Kate, "Don't know how Zee and Zach deal with this stuff everyday; magic, every angle you cover has like five or six more angles you have to cover just to cover the first one."

Batwoman has posed:
Kate Kane nods and continues munching, pausing to take a sip of coffee every now and again. She smiles, though. "At least in -our- world things are much simpler. At least the criminals we deal with don't have reality-altering abilities. But you're right about Him, Jason. If Bruce ever gets his hands on whoever is responsible for this, he's going to exact a price for every life that was lost." She looks at the dumpling she's holding. "This is really good, by the way."

Red Hood has posed:
The soda can is lifted in salute to that assessment, "Right? Never thought I'd pine for the days of criminals and psychopaths but somehow magic's found a way," Jasons says wryly but tired.

"Yeah, I know, it's what I'd want too if my coming back had brought a bunch of demons with it," Jason says. "Though at this point, I am only assuming it didn't. Anyhow hopefully we can take the people responsible out so Bruce doesn't have to," he says before adding. "Besides I am sort of pissed at them too, the gangers they took over? Don't care, but the kids at the sorority house? The lab techs at the morgue? They didn't need to go out like that."

He is happy to change topics though and smiles at the mention of the bao, "Like I said, best in the ciy, they're sort of my least harmful stress relief vice, great for nights like this."

Batwoman has posed:
Kate Kane gives him a wry look, as if suddenly catching onto the similarities of his situation to Bruce's. Her voice lowers at his reaction, then, and after he smiles she gives a slow nod of agreement. "That's one benefit to working the night shift, I suppose. I think as noctournal predators, we probably know all the -best- places in the city for late-night carry out."

Red Hood has posed:
Jason catches the wry look but only frowns confusedly in response, if he has a blindspot it's any similarty between him and Bruce, though any questions he might have asked is let go in favour of happier topics.

"That's true," Jason agrees while taking a bite, he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand when he's done adding, "And hey, the friends aren't so bad either."