Dead Drop

[seriouslyevil.livejournal.com]

Normally, when Roman wanted to schedule an appointment with someone, he usually carved the date, time, and place of the meeting onto the corpse of a loved one/associate. Unfortunately, he had to be a bit more subtle. With Brucey's weak stomach, he'd probably vomit all over the corpse, pass out, then someone would come in and find one of the models he dated dead and draped across his desk, the cops would get involved, and things would get messy.

Well, messier.

So, this time he had to be just a touch more subtle, which was kind of annoying since he really really wanted to burn part of Gotham to ground after The Batman had barged in unexpectedly and given him a rather sound beating.

Bastard.

At least he had the Albanians to take his rage out on. Over the last month, he had quite emphatically squashed the small group, and taken over their operations in the north east. And lucky for him, he knew a place that was great for rounding up women that he could then sell to the highest bidder. Perhaps he'll shelve those plans to destroy Selina's shelter after all...

But back to Bruce, who was simply left a cellphone on his desk at work. It's previous owner wouldn't be needing it anyway, poor girl. But, later that night, Bruce would get a call on that phone, with a recording telling him where to bring the money that night.

And currently at that location, a rather run down mill in a long since abandoned industrial complex, the Black Mask was waiting.

Don't be late, Bruce.

Comments

[eddie-nygma.livejournal.com]

Nygma attempts to signal Nightwing, waving one hand while carrying the stricken Bruce Wayne - hoping the young vigilante isn't too preoccupied scattering Roman's small army of goons.

The man's wound looks like a nasty one, but as one of his former nemeses, the Riddler doesn't fully accept the notion that Batman is necessarily mortal.

[seriouslyevil.livejournal.com]

While Harv dealt with the grenade, Roman ducked out of the way. He didn't really take his eyes off Selina, but twisted around to fire of a few shots at Two-Face. He didn't want any further distractions. Even with the mask on, it was clear he was enjoying how much he had pissed her off.

[-nightwing-.livejournal.com]

One thing Roman's got a lot of, and that's hired muscle that's too dumb to ask a lot of questions - just lift a gun and shoot. But it's hard to shoot a moving target, and he's been doing this kind of thing since before he hit his teens.

Bullets ricochet off the Ducati's custom armor plating, and goons drop like stones in the wake of taser 'rangs, blows from his escrima sticks, and the squealing of tires adds to the chaotic din echoing around the old warehouse.

He spots Riddler trying to get his attention, and though it takes a few more moments of concerted effort, he strikes a clearing through the remaining throng, pulling the bike up between the prostrate man, Nygma, and the line of direct fire.

It's hard not to react as he dismounts with haste to assess Bruce's condition, but there's no time right now to panic.

Christ, that's a lot of blood.

"I've got him," he says, reluctant to entrust the man's care to someone he spent a great deal of his youth turning in.

[eddie-nygma.livejournal.com]

"If you can tell me how to stop the bleeding, I can take care of him while you do what you do best."

His voice drops to an undertone.

"I mean, he must have this sort of thing happen all the time, I know I've winged him a few times myself. Do you people employ a full-time trauma surgeon?"

[-nightwing-.livejournal.com]

His look, to his credit, is only faintly incredulous, with a barest hint of 'why do you give a damn.'

"He doesn't do site visits," he says bluntly, turning the unconscious man's head. Ah. No entry wound. Good news, but as with all head wounds, plenty of blood. He doesn't have time to argue. Staying low and reaching to his bike, he grabs a medical kit and tosses it to him. "Keep pressure on the wound with the gauze in here. Don't move him until it's stopped, then wrap it and get him in the car - back seat, keep him lying down."

He moves reflexively to shield them as another spray of bullets passes overhead. Shame about that Lamborghini's paint job.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

And by the way, Nygma, try not to give yourself a hernia moving the dead weight in your arms, the one that's bleeding all over that hideous suit you're sporting.

[eddie-nygma.livejournal.com]

Nygma unwraps the gauze from the medical kit and applies some pressure - though he's not so sure about that not-moving part, if the firefight gets any heavier.

"Alright, Boy Wonder. I'd say Selina, Harvey and Jonathan can handle Roman - we're hoping he ends up in Arkham to see how the other half lives, but with 'Bruce' so badly injured, my plan for the denouement of this little charade is up in smoke."

He glances to Nightwing.

"I don't need to tell you your job. I've seen you do it plenty of times."

Nygma's suit will be ruined, blast it all, but the sheer amount of blood he'll be wearing will be a good excuse to get Query and Echo in their matching green and purple nurse uniforms, anyway.

[-nightwing-.livejournal.com]

With Bruce out to the world, his ice-laden look will have to suffice before he gets back on his motorcycle and accelerates off back into the mob.

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

As the shots are fired at Harvey, Selina closes the distance between herself and Roman, looking to get up close and personal where the guns weren't as much of a threat. Well, where the guns were a threat she could at least attempt to deal with.

[bigbadharv.livejournal.com]

Harvey dives out of the way of the gunfire, sliding on the ground and twisting to return it - but he catches Selina's approach and curses to himself. Can't risk it.

So instead, he scrambles to his feet, making a bigger show of how Roman's got him on the ropes, figuring to cater to his ego and cover Selina's move.

"You surprised me, Roman. And here I thought you were just a worthless drooling psychopath."

[seriouslyevil.livejournal.com]

Oh, he's very aware of what Selina is doing, and the fact that its made Harvey hold his fire caused him to laugh manically. Yes, he was enjoying the chaos.

"Please, Harv. Even on your best day, the both of you together weren't even half the man I am."

He continued firing at Harvey, though kept watch on Selina's approach out of the corner of his eye. Do come closer, kitty, you'll make an excellent meatshield.

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

Perhaps foolishly, perhaps as part of some sort of larger plan, Selina closes the distance between the two of them. Some part of her has noticed the different way Harvey moves now but she may or may not conciously recall it later. Right now, her focus is on getting her hands on Roman and breaking his skull open on the floor.

Or any number of other violently pleasant options.

[bigbadharv.livejournal.com]

"Then we'll have to see about relieving you of your manhood."

Harvey was subtly moving to counter Selina's approach, until eventually Roman's going to have to take his eyes off one or both of them. There's only so far those eyes can roll in that ugly head.

His job is to keep those guns trained on him while Selina pounces.

But if he gets a chance to put a bullet in this idiot's crotch, consider it done.

[seriouslyevil.livejournal.com]

Clever, but damn it all to hell if he was going to let himself get sandwiched between those two. But if Selina wanted a fight so badly, he'd give her one.

What little space that was left between them disappeared as he met her head on. He was going to enjoy smashing her face in with his forearm.

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

As long as he doesn't mind her fist impacting with his solar plexus, she can accept his forearm in her face. Not that either of them really has another option at this point. They're well and truly engaged, and not in the exchanging rings sense of the word.

This turned out so well for them both last time.

[bigbadharv.livejournal.com]

Last time, Two-Face wasn't watching her back.

Now that he's tied up with her, he stands up and takes his time with his approach. Analyzing every move as best he can to try and predict where he'll be.

When he'll get his shot.

[seriouslyevil.livejournal.com]

Trying to predict what the Black Mask will do next is a lot like trying to predict the actions of a sugar addled two-year old who has severe ADD. True, there's usually a method to Roman's madness, but it was still severe madness.

In this case, that madness means utterly and ruthlessly exchanging blows with Selina. While he did enjoy delivering slow, prolonged torture sessions to his victims, there was something to be said about simply beating the ever loving shit out of someone with your bare hands. And other body parts. He reached up to grab her by the neck, to slam his head square into her face.

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

Selina does what she can to move her head so the blow isn't as painful to her and is more painful to him. She's going to come out of the collision a little stunned, having started to move too late. Still, she's hoping she won't be the only one. Especially since his hands around her neck gives her leeway to kick him as hard as she can in the crotch.

She'll worry about her eventual need to breathe shortly.

[bigbadharv.livejournal.com]

Timed as if they'd rehearsed it comes a full-on pistolwhip to the back of Mask's head a second after Selina's boot swings for the jewels.

[seriouslyevil.livejournal.com]

The two hits were enough to drop him, though he may or may not be out of it. If there was any one quality Roman had, it was an obscenely high threshold for pain.

At least he didn't appear to be moving, though.

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

Selina's hands go to her throat once it is free, looking down at Roman. Frowning, she doesn't trust that he's actually managed to go down, stepping closer to him. She's ready to curbstomp his midsection if she needs to do so.

[bigbadharv.livejournal.com]

Two-Face doesn't give him the benefit of the doubt.

Knee on his back with his full weight, and he presses a gun barrel to the back of Mask's head.

"The Roman Empire falls again."

[seriouslyevil.livejournal.com]

For a good moment, there was nothing but silence from him. Maybe it was finally over. maybe they had won. Maybe... not.

There was a bit of a chuckle from Roman. It started quietly, but continued to build slowly.

Roman turned his head, not really caring that there was a gun pressed against it. He ended up looking at Selina, nothing but a very dark amusement in his face.

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

Selina narrows her eyes, looking at Roman's amusement. Pulling her leg back, she kicks him in the face.

[seriouslyevil.livejournal.com]

His smile only grew wider when he saw her foot coming.

Harvey really should've shot him in the head right away. Or at least secured his arms.

He took the kick to the face, but grabbed her leg and yanked and twisted, hopefully bringing her right down on top of Two-Face.