Summary:Batman retailiates against Leviathan for the hit on Catwoman; even though lines are drawn, circles are made. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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After the run-in with Taskmaster and getting the debriefing from Selina, Batman left the scene. He made sure Selina was going to be safe, sending her back to the mansion - but that is not where he's heading. He knows who to go to first. Who would so blatantly put out a bounty on Catwoman that was large enough to draw someone like Taskmaster to the money. And while she may think that being well above the Manhattan skyline may offer protection, Bruce is more than willing to leave the streets of Staten Island should the situation dictate it. Such as this.
The stealth aircraft that replaced the Batwing after the Blitz is no more on the silhouette on most radars than a small flock of birds, easily mistaken by air traffic controllers as a grouping of pigeons. With it's dark profile and it's lights turned off, the plane cuts through the cloudy Manhattan sky. Approaching the target area, the canopy of the craft slides back as Batman sets it to automatic pilot to return to the cave.
Ejecting from the plane, Bruce descends towards the ground, into the skyline of buildings, his cape fluttering behind him as his lens scan the path of his descent, and then he hits a button on his gauntlet - the cape stiffens and hardens into a glider, and the glide path of the Bat is made out as it takes him to the penthouse balcony of one of the most expensive properties in New York - in the world in fact. While on paper it's listed as owned by a shell company, Bruce knows beneath the layers and shells.. it is a home of the al-Ghul family. And he fully expects that with the winter chill and his denial of her to be in Staten Island.. she'd be here.
And while his first thought is to kick in the patio doors and storm it - he doesn't. Instead, as much as the detective he is, a grapple line flies out, grabbing the railing and he yanks himself in before jimmying the lock to make his way within. He doesn't know if Talia will have her bodyguards or company with him. And really, he didn't care. Apparently she'd touched a nerve.
The night was lucrative, surely things didn't go the way that it was planned but Talia sent a message that was loud and clear.
She was not playing.
Taskmaster arrived to give the details on those he went up against, money, half.. was exchanged hands and sent about his way to call on for another day. Other business deals went down that had nothing to do with the Bat-Family, her priorities were good, she was able to set things into motion.
It was almost time to retire for the night, so Talia, being as she does, retires the guards to the room adjacent. Clothing was stripped in the middle of the bathroom, the shower turned on to run hot. It wasn't just a simple rinse of her body from todays work, just a nightly ritual that dealt with soap and a burning of sage.
And that's all that Batman could hear. Just the running water, a constant, dedicated stream that splashes against the porcelain of her luxury, borrowed apartment.
Sage, the ritual smell flares into Bruce's nostrils as he makes his way through the opulent apartment. The sound of the water running catches his attention, but his first step is to the entrance of the apartment, and a quick shove of a batarang to seal the doors closed. If she has a call button in her shower, it will be of little use of summoning help. She's up the stakes - he's taking no chances. Not anymore.
The bathroom door opens, and Bruce can see the silhouette of the woman behind the tempered and opaque glass, and he grabs the towel, opening the door and shoving it at her. It's the easiest way to know that Talia's unarmed. And while at one time, the view would have been appreciated, the thin line of Bruce's lips beneath the cowl - and the tight lines at the corners of his mouth, he gets no pleasure from seeing her bare. "We're going to talk."
And apparently not giving her the chance to dress. Or arm.
The doors swing open, there was little time when Talia was caught off guard. She knew that eventually, he would come knocking, but the same night?
Wow. Color her red.
The towel was shoved in her direction and she catches, which was soon tossed upon the ground to keep it from getting wet. Nude or not, the woman had sensibilities, why wrap yourself with a towel that was already wet?
"Get out." She says plainly, not bothering to cover herself, standing there naked as the day she was born, her hand drawing up with indignation. This woman needs no weapons. She's the daughter of Demon's Head.
It is rumored that she could kill with a well placed press, and anyone who could have refuted that is quite possibly dead.
"Now."
Well-placed presses, indeed. If she expected to use her nudity as a weapon, Batman is no stammering teenager exposed to a girl for the first time, instead, his hand grabs her wrist, yanking her out of the shower and turning her as he shoves her against the bathroom door. It's a hard push. Rough, tactile. And his hand lifts, pinning the hand above her head.
"I don't follow your orders. And you can't pay me enough to do so." he snarls. Ah. Straight to the point.
"Catwoman's bounty." he growls, voice flat, the steam of the bathroom not helped when he reaches over and turns off the lights, leaving her bathed only in the dim moonlight and the flares of the Bat's lenses. "Remove it."
And in the same tone that she just used on him is responded to in kind.
"Now."
It was simple, Talia was at a huge disadvantage; there were no weapons save for the self in the bathroom, and he was armored to the teeth. There were a few spots that she could have easily gotten to, and it all just may have ended horribly for her. Just like the slam against the wall, bare skin against the solid surface creates a loud smack, the hand lifted to the air and pressed, leaving the other one open. Tactile. Sure.
The lights gone out? Even better.
The flare of the lens and the throaty voice he uses all but causes her to crack an amused smile. She knows him. And the sad part is, he knows her. And it all reduces her to a fit of laughter.
"You.. you.." She inhales, then laughs again, her head rolling back and forth. "..you know what you have to do if you want me to stop." It was plain and simple, she didn't even struggle. This was all just a game. Nothing more, nothing less.
"You obviously can't and won't kill me, can't because if you do, the weight of the worlds assassins will reign down upon you. Won't because that is not you, Batman." She uses the nickname.
"But you want this to end? Give me what I want."
"You're right. And harming you would only give you the ammunition you want to turn Damian away." There's a low growl in Bruce's throat, and instead of armored hands on Talia's supple curves, he pushes her away. Again. "You took what you wanted once. I will not give you that chance again, Talia al'Ghul." So why did he turn off the lights?
There's no laugh from Bruce this time. Once. He may have. Once he may have had feelings for her. But she's crossed a line. She's brought in others. With money. To try to take what she wants.
The rules no longer apply. There will be no playing the game. "Then you will bankrupt your empire, yourself, and your father's memory by following that course."
"I know what you want. What you demand. But it is not yours to take. It is not mine to offer."
"It's over, Talia."
Talia says nothing.
Even the shove doesn't elicit a response, but once it was there, she finally moved freely. In the dark, away and around him in the massive bathroom, bending to snatch the towel from the ground to dry off her hair. They couldn't see each other, but yet, she moved as if he weren't there. Towel tossed aside, the bathroom door opened and pushed aside as she disappears from view. And amazingly enough? She didn't get a weapon. Or a gun. Or anything to toss him out.
"You think you know what I want, Bruce, but really.."
Robe was on, hair was tied up, now she sat in front of a vanity mirror as she begins to moisturize her face. "How about this. And I am going to be very upfront with you. Businesswoman to Businessman. Not beast to bat. Allow me real estate in Staten Island and all threats, kill lists, what have you are off."
Oh, he knows what she really wants.
She wants a foothold.
And that's exactly what she's asking for.
"There are several other borroughs that would suit your needs, Leviathan." Now it is him using her code name. How it changes, the pieces always fluid, the board always changing between the pair of them.
He's removed his mask. She can see his blues eyes now, looking at her flatly in the mirror.
"Tell me why, then."
Her skin was fleshed out completely, cheeks rubbed in an awkward display, the sheen staying there as she slowly rises from the chair. She turns and leans against the vanity, her hands upon the table, fingers gripping tightly then releasing.
"For Damian."
It was plain and simple. Somewhat. She doesn't even flinch.
"He's my only son." There was a little softness that touches her eyes, but then it disappears. "When I said that I wanted to take on my fathers mantle my own way, I meant it. The al'Ghul name meant fear. Death. His passing will allow me to bring a new meaning to the name, the legacy he built will be dismantled and made in a new image and not one in disgust."
"If you were so much of a mother, you'd not sent him to me, Talia." He's watching her. Every motion of her body, every twitch of her curves. Outside of Selina, Talia may be the one person that Bruce can read like an open book. Just as she can read him. Which is why it's pointless to wear the mask.
"You said that he is a failure. And that you would end him. Now I'm supposed to believe if I give you frontage. If I grant you this favor, you would stop?" His lips are pulled into a thin, disbelieving line.
"I think you know I require more than that."
"You hurt me Bruce, you wounded me that night, so I had to wound you. DOUBLE."
Rejection is hurtful, after all. There was still rage from the night she came into town, waited, watched, hoped that he would welcome her if not with open arms, but with a hand. So that this exile imposed upon her by her father wouldn't seem so bitter. And now it is. She calms, rising from the vanity to move past him and into the main room, circling the glass table which held her phone, tapping in the code to unlock it to wiggle within his sight.
And soon, buttons were being pressed, the loud clickity click of her phone and the.. 'schoop' sounds of messages being sent were heard. It was clear that it was a burner phone, being used so freely in the presence of him, she could almost swear that he could hack her signal and read from within the cowl, but it was off. A few more messages were sent back and forth, and soon the phone was tossed towards Bruce for his own viewing.
"Bounty lifted. Take the phone. Verify if you need to."
Bruce listens to the conversation. And even with the cowl off, everything is being recorded and transferred to Oracle for translation. He folds his arms over his chest as he watches and then when she tosses the phone at him, his hand snags it out of the air. He looks at the messages and gives a small grunt of displeaure. All of her talk of rejection? He doesn't even acknowledge it.
As for her request?
He decides to throw one more curveball at her. One of her own creation. "I will speak to Damian. If he decides that he wants you near, I will do what I can to find you something. If he does not, you will abide by his decision."
He's putting it in the hands of their child. Either faith in him…
…or he's willing to give her a chance instead of flat out saying no.
It's something?
"Oh please Bruce, I don't need your help getting real estate. I need you to -not- block my efforts. And I'd rather not compete nor contend with Wayne Industries in my new business venture." Obviously medical. She flops down upon the couch now, obviously worn.
"But fine, whatever Damian decides.." And if he decides to disagree, then she'll move elsewhere. Still close, but watching from afar. For now.
"Take your batarang out the door, and go out through the window. I'd rather not have to answer questions as to why the Dark Knight was seen leaving my quarters."
Going over, yanking the Batarang out of the door, Bruce puts it away. His hand moves up, pulling the cowl back down into place. Though in that last moment, his eyes do travel over the woman that has sirred one of his two children. For a moment, there is something in his eyes, and just as quickly gone as the cowl's lens come back online.
"Then we're in agreement." He doesn't want to be seen coming out of her apartment either. Stepping out onto the balcony, he climbs on the railing, and then drops off the side. And disappears.
Several moments later the Batwing rises into the air and disappears into the night.