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

[bigbadharv.livejournal.com]

"Couldn't be helped, Eddie," comes the gravelly response as Two-Face keeps walking by, not breaking his gait. "Had to test the theory. Clean side, the man's dead and nobody has to worry about their sister being forced into cannibalism again. Scarred side, he somehow crawls back out of the gutter, and that's when the Bat knows it's time to ring up one of the Grand Wizards of the Justice League to deal with him after we toss him in Arkham." A finger-gun point to the Riddler. "Next time."

Then, he continues walking, passing Selina and Bruce.

"Buck up, Wayne. You're about to get the best health care the poverty level can afford. You'll be up and around in a year. I shot Batman worse than that, and he was up in a month. You'll be fine, and you'll have a hell of a story for all your mistresses."

Yes, he went there.

"Hoo!" he exclaims happily as he keeps on walking away from the fire, and the three of them, toward the night. "I could get used to the hero business! Something supremely satisfying about a job well done!"

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

Lying on the pavement against Selina's lap, eyes closed, Bruce exerts his force of will once again to keep still, look unconscious, remain in character and not revert to his true persona. But Selina should be able to feel the muscles in his shoulders tense, the bicep convulse briefly, before he manages to quell a desire to face Black Mask's killer.

Without seeing, he knows: Two-Face is back.

Damn it all to hell.

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

Selina's hand remains firm on Bruce's bicep as she looks at Harvey, eyes narrowing. She wants to yell something at him, wants to throw a rock at Harvey for the comment he just made. Instead, she'll comment about something else. "It's never that easy, Harvey. Being the hero is never easy. Something always comes back to kick you in the ass."

Like Black Mask. Like The Clown. They both know the pains of backlash better than anyone should. Her hand remains spread against Bruce's, not comforting, not restraining - just present.

[eddie-nygma.livejournal.com]

He heaves a sigh, moving back to the fallen Bruce Wayne to tuck his cellphone back in his pocket.

"Well, that could've gone better."

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

The hand not held by Selina takes Nygma's wrist in an iron grip as he returns the cellphone. "You let him go, you're consigning others, criminals and innocents, to death," hisses Bruce without his eyes opening, without his lips really moving.

That comment could be going to both Eddie and Selina, for that matter.

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

"I've tempted fate enough for one day. There is still a bullet with my name on it out there." It is in her pocket but it still exists and where there is one, there could be more.

[eddie-nygma.livejournal.com]

"Don't lecture me, 'Bruce'. If you had let him continue playing in his vigilante phase, he wouldn't have been sent back to Arkham so the Joker could carve up his face again. I don't think you realize just how close to cured Harvey was. And now he's got two broken minds, instead of one."

Nygma sighs.

"The best-laid plans of mice and men.. "

He shakes his head.

"Someone has to be here to explain what went on to the authorities. I'll.. Damn it, I'll help you find Harvey later."

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

"I don't need your help," growls Bruce, opening his eyes to mere slivers. "Find Batgirl. I'm sure the two of you will make a colorful scene for the authorities. And make sure all of Black Mask's goons got out of that fire."

Notice he doesn't seem to care much about the money. Or the Lamborghini.

He pauses a fraction of a second, looks at Selina, then adds less gruffly to her, "You have good friends," and again shuts his eyes. From the nearness of the sirens, the place is about to be crawling with all sorts of uniformed people.

That sounds, from him, something weirdly like gratitude.

[femme-du-chat.livejournal.com]

"Better some days than others," is the only comment Selina can think to make to that comment right now. As the people in uniforms come closer, she resigns herself to the poking and prodding and questioning that are to comprise the next few hours.

She is not the most beloved person of the GCPD. They'll likely try to implicate her seomwhere along the way.