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]

"Just a nasty head wound - bled a hell of a lot, but he's still kicking. What the hell happened in there?"

If Selina's not injured, there's only one other likely way this went down..

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

Bruce looks at Selina's arm before taking the handkerchief from his ruined suit's jacket and reaching for her bicep to bandage it. He seems, other than the forehead still oozing and the blood smeared everywhere, more or less himself, and he keeps quiet for Selina to answer Eddie's question. His eyes, however, flicking glances everywhere to assess.

Typical Bruce.

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

"Harvey shot him."

It shouldn't bother her so much and yet it does. Harvey killed Roman /for her/. She wanted him dead but to have someone else willing to kill for her is .... strange. "I think .... He's been dead before...."

[eddie-nygma.livejournal.com]

Eddie grabs the bridge of his nose with a pair of gloved fingers, face scrunched with frustration.

"God damn it, Harvey.."

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

With just a handkerchief Bruce can do a handsome job of a field dressing - practice makes perfect, likely - and ties off the bandage before turning to look at the burning body. Happily Batgirl seems to have ensured that the cash was not stolen, but Bruce would have let it go in exchange for a live Black Mask to prosecute and jail.

He says nothing, but his expression is eloquently angered, frustrated, dismayed.

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

Selina winces as Bruce ties off the dressing, looking toward him and blinking a few times before she looks to Eddie and then back again. She swallows and seems to be mentally finding her way back to herself. Her hand finds Bruce's bicep, "I don't have it in me to regret that it happened. I'm not that charitable."

Not after everything he's done to the people she loves. The relief is too great for regret.

[eddie-nygma.livejournal.com]

"I told Harvey it would be better for everyone concerned if Roman went to Arkham. I didn't think he was quite this close to the edge.."

The Riddler doesn't regret what happened either, beyond the extent to which it inconveniences him, of course.

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

"You need a doctor," Bruce says quietly to Selina, his voice steady, cold. A hand emerges from his coat pocket with a cell phone, and rather deliberately he dials 911.

That's for ambulance AND police, kids.

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

The /last/ thing Selina wants right now is a hospital and it is obvious in the slight slump of her shoulders. And they're going to take her to the hospital. If she's lucky, they'll make her stay overnight for observation. That's her favorite.

She looks to Eddie and gives him a brief flicker of a smile, "Thanks, Eddie."

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

The line rings - because 911 does ring, once or twice at least while the connection is made - as Bruce holds out the phone to Eddie, hissing, "Ambulance and police, Nygma."

Once the phone is handed over? Bruce glances back at the mess inside with the baddies being rounded up and Harvey...where is Dent, anyways?

Bruce can't be Batman now. He has to be Bruce. So his eyes turn up, and he looks to, well, faint at the other two's feet.

[eddie-nygma.livejournal.com]

He's in no mood to argue about it - hopefully Harvey's made his escape already. Nygma nods in response to Selina's gratitude, and waits for the line to connect.

"Hello - we need ambulances and police at the mill at Fifth and Aparo. Two people with gunshot injuries, other with bruises and abrasions of various sorts."

Calling Roman's condition 'injured' was charitable, to say the least, so he adds as an afterthought.

"You probably want to send the coroner as well."

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

Selina moves to catch Bruce as he faints. The catch is only so well done and it bears both of them to the ground. In the end, that will be well enough for the ambulance to find them both. She moves his hair from his forehead as best as she can manage as the blood has started to grow tacky, plastering his hair to his face.

"Oh God."

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

"I'm fine," the billionaire murmurs from the protective cradle of his fiancée's embrace, from which he can't be seen or heard easily. "Nygma...do the right thing."

It's an order, really. Then he exhales, letting go some of that iron will and tension and turns his face toward her hand, lightly kissing the palm before growing still again.

In the background are sirens, distant but distinct.

[bigbadharv.livejournal.com]

In the foreground, fire erupts throughout the warehouse, beginning to engulf it.

The silhouette of a lone figure can be seen emerging from it. Even heading their way.

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

Selina looks up from where she's got Bruce in her lap at the sound of fire growing larger quickly. Her first thought is to whether they're far enough away or not. Her second is to Harvey, who is approaching.

Swallowing, she tries to think of something to say but all of the words are stuck in her mouth, unvoiced. She gives Eddie a look of uncertainty as she instinctively tightens her grip on Bruce. Please, please, please, please don't try to get up.

[eddie-nygma.livejournal.com]

"And throw in a couple of fire engines. Thanks."

He snaps the phone shut and leaves Bruce to Selina as he walks towards what he presumes to be Harvey Dent.

"You need to go, Harvey. I can't cover for you on this. Half the city will want to give you a damn medal, but I'm not going back to Arkham because you have an impulse control problem."