Chatzy log. The fifth and final (for now) part of the Inque Saga. Takes place after Dick sets Inque up in a safe house and has sex with her, and his talk with Cass and Jason.
Dick sighs as he goes through the unlocking routine of the safe house, waiting until the computer says it's clear before slipping inside and shutting the door behind him. "I brought some movies, if you'd like something new to watch, and I brought Chinese." He sets both bags on the counter and starts pulling out the food, most of him turned away from her.
Inque slinks up behind him, arms draping loosely around his waist as she glances at the DVDs. "Hopefully better than your last selections," she purrs, teasing. This is all a ruse, though -- she's bored. She's tired of being penned up, and something's changing. Tonight.
"Aw, I thought you'd like classic cinema!" He pulls out a pack of chopsticks and some small packets of soy sauce from the now mostly empty bag. "Got more of a selection this time, some comedy, a little action, a romcom, if you like those." This feels weirdly pleasant, and if there's one thing Dick has learned through all his years of crimefighting, pleasant is dangerous.
Inque hums, thinking. "If that's what passes as classic cinema I'd hate to see what you consider bad," she replies, still light. She's not a fan of musicals, never has been. Ones from this time period are just... worse. She pauses, and in the same light, airy tone, she asks: "Exactly how long do you think I'll let you keep me here?"
Dick unwraps the chopsticks as he absently checks the food. "Mmm, I dunno. Probably pushing it as it is." He glances at her out of the corner of his eye, very aware of the weight of her and the loose pressure of her arms around his waist. "Maybe, two more days?"
Inque looks up as he turns his head, and then pulls herself in a little closer, tightening her hold. "I was thinking sometime a little more... immediate," she says, casually.
Dick braces himself. "Aw, and here I thought we were getting along." He breaks the chopsticks, apart, holding them like tiny eskrima sticks.
Inque laughs once, quietly. "Don't get me wrong, it's been fun, but I'm not really the type to settle down. Especially not with men who won't tell me their names," she says playfully, her hands dipping a little low. "Things would be so much easier if you'd just let me out. We wouldn't even have to see each other -- well. Unless you wanted to."
Dick would really like to turn around now, but he keeps his calm. "Yeah, but see, there's the rub. The whole point of this is that we will see each other, in that I know where you are at all times, and you get the pleasure of my charming company. Granted, the second part of that might not be the best selling point, but I try."
Inque squeezes, just a little. "Let me put it another way -- you let me walk out, and I play nice. If I have to convince you, though..." she trails off, leaving it nebulous.
Dick does try to turn around, at this, trying to swivel in his small space as tightly as possible. "I might let you walk out if you give me some way to find you." He shrugs. "It seems fair enough to me."
Inque loosens her grip just enough to let him turn and face her. "Now, why would I do that?" she asks, smirking up at him.
"Because I'm cute and not that bad of a lay?"
Inque laughs, taking a step back and crossing her arms over her chest. "I have a phone. Feel free to ring me up whenever the mood strikes."
Dick leans back against the counter. "Yeah, but see, you might not answer, or you might ditch it. There's a whole number of ways that won't work out so well." He shrugs. "We can always decide later. Your food's getting cold, and I don't have anywhere I need to be."
Inque raises her eyebrows, a lazy smile on her face. "Are you suggesting a tracker?"
"Well, not in so many words, but..." He grins. "Yeah, pretty much."
Inque chuckles, shaking her head a few times. "Do you honestly think a tracker will work?" she asks, one of her hands melting down into a long, black vine for emphasis. "I can lose a tracker as easily as I can lose a phone."
Dick purses his lips. "That's what I'm worried about. So, I guess you're gonna stay here."
Inque sighs, tilting her head -- the smirk sharper, more predatory. "Sorry, darling, not really what I had in mind," she replies, inky black closing in around her skin as she stretches up a few feet. "Last chance."
Dick shakes his head. "This is what happens when I try to use my big heart."
Inque laughs once. "You can thank your big heart for getting the other Bats killed, then," she replies, another set of sharp, pointed limbs growing out from her midsection as she lunges at him, knocking a table over in the process.
Dick dives away, throwing the chopsticks like darts at her... well, he's pretty sure it's still her head. "Leave them out of it, Inque. This is between you and me alone." He rolls to his feet, pulling an eskrima stick off his back.
Inque ends up knocking into the counter, denting the underside. She slithers upright, turning towards him as she plucks the sticks from the round whiteness of her face. "I gave you every chance to do this the easy way, but you didn't listen," she starts, her tone lilting. "Did you think I just spent my time in here watching TV? I used the resources you left me with -- and now they get to pay," she says, diving at him again.
Dick holds his ground but sticks his eskrima straight at her, and presses a small button on the side. The end crackles with electricity, a barely milder form than the doorways. "Oh, I'm sure you kept busy in here, but that seems awfully dull of you. You really don't think I'm that much of a fighter?"
Inque jolts back from the stick with an irritated groan. Of course, more electricity. Her favorite. "If you're as flexible when you fight as you are in bed, I'm sure you're more than formidable," she teases, slithering backwards. "It's just more fun that way." And -- since he's apparently prepared for this and she doesn't feel like getting electrocuted just yet, she goes for plan b -- which is to just wreck the place. She stretches up, digging her pointed limbs into the ceiling as she skitters across it and starts ripping things off the walls.
Dick leaps back from the falling ceiling tiles and cabinet pieces. The security would hold up until she reached the upper limits of the tiles, but she could do a hell of a lot of damage this way before she ever came close. "I didn't know you were so into my family," he says, darting out of the confined kitchen space. "Red's gonna be so happy to hear, I'm sure."
Inque keeps thrashing her limbs out, throwing metal cabinets to the ground, tearing wires out of the walls. "Red? Oh, my second favorite," she replies with a dark laugh as she darts across the ceiling, shattering the lights.
Dick moves back from the sparks and as long as she doesn't hit the-- The lights in the safe house go out. Well, then. The lenses in his mask switch over to night vision at the loss of light. Lights are unimportant to the safe house, only there for an extra comfort. The main power is run off a more powerful breaker with a backup generator, both outside the perimeter. The only way she can get to those is to go through it, or get Dick to open the door himself. "Glad to know I'm your favorite," he says, eyes scanning the ceiling for movement. "I'd hope I was, anyway."
Inque flattens out, slithering into a crack. "You're not the jealous type, are you?" she asks, surging through the cracks and dents, knocking plaster out of the walls and ceiling. She slides down a wall and waits for him to step closer. She's patient, she can wait.
Dick chuckles. "Who, me? I don't have a jealous bone in my body." He turns slowly, switching to heat signal to try and find her. "Well, maybe this one," he says, pointing to a rib, "but I don't think about it that much." He spots a heat signal and steps forward, but then it's gone, splitting in two and slithering away faster than he can trace it. OK, she break herself into pieces. That's fun. He walks towards where he thinks the pieces went to, switching back to night vision. "What about you?"
Inque wanted him closer, but this works too. He steps away from the wall she's embedded in and she slithers out, sliding along the floor silently before raising up. "I'm possessive," she says, lunging at him, hoping to knock the stick out of his hand -- or at least restrain him.
Dick turns a second too late to avoid her attack, the inky-- heh-- mass of her knocking him down, his eskrima falling to the side. There's one more on his back, but from his position, it's going to be awfully difficult to reach. "That's unfortunate. I'm not sure I like the clingy type." He struggles to get free, failing fairly spectacularly. "You know the only way out is through the electrical field, right? You are kinda stuck here."
Inque knows how to play this game. She winds around him, binding his limbs as one thick, ropy tentacle wraps around his throat. "I wouldn't say clingy," she says, squeezing a little. "I just don't like sharing." A pause. "And I'll eventually get out, you know that. Why not make it easier?"
Dick swallows hard against the tentacle at his throat. "Because I guess I'm just kinda stupid like that." She's wrapped tight around him, too tight for him to even move his fingers enough to activate his suit's current. "Well, I guess this is what we'd call a draw."
"A draw?" she asks, amused. "No, I don't think so," she replies, tightening the coil around his neck. It's not like he needs air or anything. "I think you're going to tell me the codes to leave."
Dick twitches as she squeezes his throat, his eyes going wide. He gapes, trying to turn his head out of the direct pressure of her, but her grip is solid, no extra push in one spot. He shakes his head, not wasting energy to actually say no.
Inque squeezes a little tighter, enough to where she can feel his Adam's Apple pushing against his crumpling trachea. "Try again," she purrs.
Dick stares up at her, his jaw moving up and down in silent gasps for air. It's soon apparent his mouth is actually trying to form words that his voice can't put out. Meanwhile, he slowly curls his fingers in, sliding them against his thighs to keep the feel of them steady. He glances at the door and tries to speak. "Guh-- Guh--!"
Inque notices his mouth trying to shape words, and relents slightly. "Something to say?"
Dick gasps, then grins. "Go to Hell." He snaps his fingers together, triggering the one-use taser in his suit.
Inque screams as the surge runs through her, recoiling and peeling away, flinging little bits of herself across the walls. She pants a little, still smoldering, and then growls, lunging back on top of him, squeezing tighter than before. "Bad boy," she chides, her top half solidifying as she leans, one hand gripping his chin as she bends down slightly and kisses him.
Dick gasps for air when she releases him, curling up on himself slightly as he breathes. It's too long, though, because now she's back and, god, his ribs feel like they're groaning. But then she kisses him and that feels... strange, considering they were just fighting, but not entirely unpleasant. He kisses her back, hoping it might make her ease up a bit. She pushes past his lips and his eyes go wide. This doesn't feel like a kiss anymore.
Inque shoves herself into his mouth, pouring down his throat. Strangling him from the inside-out seems like an interesting route to go -- not that she's actually going to kill him. Where's the fun in that? She just wants to make sure he knows full well who he messed with, and she definitely wants revenge for the stunt with the suit. She's still a little tingly, and not in the pleasant way.
Dick flails and thrashes as much as he can in her grip, his eyes shooting open. His gag reflex is normally pretty low, but she's completely filling his throat-- Clayface would never try this, or maybe not with him, or maybe it just wouldn't feel as good-- and he can't breathe at all and this is not how he'd wanted to die, but his eyes are rolling up and his vision's going black.
Inque relents, sliding out as she feels his muscles start to go lax. She doesn't want to kill him -- not that it'd be hard, but she's exhausted and weak. That fuzzy tingle is still lingering, and all she really wants to do is get out of the bunker. "This would've been so much easier if you'd just given me the code," she says tersely, pooling out and wrapping around him again. Only this time, she starts sinking into his suit, his skin.
Dick sputters and gasps, almost choking on the air as much as he had on her. His aching lungs definitely agreed with her. He pants, watching her sink into him. "Wha--? What you-- doing?”
Inque would be smirking, if she had a face. "Leaving," she replies, and he can probably hear the smirk in her tone as she washes over him, ropy strands still clinging to the outside of his suit. It takes a second, but then they're standing, moving towards the door. She still doesn't know the code, but she does know about the backup security: the handprint scanner. Yanking one of the gloves off, she puts his hand on the scanner. It takes a moment to process, but the door clicks and opens -- and then she's out, standing in some dirty alleyway in her borrowed body. Mmm, freedom.
Dick watches himself move without control-- watches her move him without his control-- and tries as hard as he can to resist her commands, to pull free of what she's making him do, but he goes and unlocks the door and gets out. Shit.
Inque seeps out of him, unwraps herself and re-forms a few feet away, stretching out as she breathes deep. It could smell better, definitely, but she's out. She turns her head back over to look at him, sneering as she whips out one of her arms, hoping to wrap it around his waist.
Dick wavers as she leaves him, stumbling back against the door. He strikes at her arm, but there isn't much power behind it. He's still half-gasping for air.
Inque recoils, wrinkling her nose in irritation as he hits her arm. She's still sore from being electrocuted, but that doesn't stop her from trying again.
Dick goes to hit her again, but there's less power in it this time. He swallows and croaks out, "What now?" Apparently having his throat crushed and forced open in the span of about three minutes isn't so good. Who knew?
Inque huffs, eyes narrowing as she turns and strolls over towards him. "Just trying to thank you for your hospitality," she replies, smirking. Who's a bad winner? She's a bad winner. "You don't sound so good, darling," she adds, whipping her arm at him again.
Dick grabs it, trying to see if he can hold onto her. "Must be the air."
Inque is solid when he grabs her -- because she wants to be. Any other time, it'd be as effective as grabbing water. But she uses this, small tendrils snaking up over his knuckles, holding on to him at the same time. "Anything I can do?"
Dick squeezes her wrist and leans back against the door. "I think you've done enough." He is so not thinking about the way those tendrils feel on his bare hand or the low sting of arousal he's still kinda feeling, nope.
Inque smirks, taking a few more steps closer, invading his personal space. "Just think how much easier this would've been if you'd just opened the door," she purrs, the tendrils creeping up to his wrist.
Dick tries to laugh, but it turns into more of a cough. "Yeah, who knows how we would've ended up then. Being all civil and nice to each other." He grips her tighter, but he doesn't push her away or try to move back any more.
Inque purses her lips at his words, looking vaguely sad for a second -- and then it's over, she's grinning again. "I wouldn't say nice," she replies, leaning in a little further. A few more centimeters and they'd be kissing again (which is tempting). "But I would've left your family alone," she finishes, low and silky as she tightens her hold on his hand, flinging him to the side and slamming him against the brick wall.
Dick probably should have seen that coming, given the circumstances. He hits the wall hard, slumping to the ground in a heap. "Better leave 'em alone anyway," he says, pushing himself up to glare at her. "Or I won't stop coming after you."
Inque laughs, tilting her hips to the side as her arm snaps back, still a long, inky tentacle -- but at her side, barely touching the ground. "I warned you," she says, almost in a sing-song. "I won't kill them," she reassures him. "I'll do much worse than that. How long do you think Red Robin can hold his breath?"
Dick growls and pulls out his other eskrima, charging it up. "A lot longer than you'll last with me. I know your weaknesses now, remember?"
Inque tsks, taking a step back. She's a little concerned, but she's not about to let it show in any way. "My weaknesses?" she asks, sounding amused. "Let's electrocute you, see if you like it. Or, better yet -- what was her name, Black Bat? I wonder how well she'd hold up," she taunts, melting back down into an inky black figure. She's too tired to fight him, honestly, as much as she'd love to. Teasing is one thing, but if it comes back to blows -- she's gone. Well, probably.
Dick sits up, waving the stick around, but she's not visible anymore and he's a little too sore to be much good at fighting anyway. He slumps back against the wall with a sigh and hits the ground with his eskrima stick, letting it spark angrily. At least the safe house is right there. He can go rest for a while before he has to call his family and warn them to look out for Inque. That he's messed up again.
Chatzy log. The fourth part of the Inque Saga. Takes place after Dick sets Inque up in a safe house and has sex with her, and after a talk between Cass and Bruce as Cass continues to recover.
Cass still has her cell phone that she probably should not have in the Medbay but does anyway because c'mon. At least she's not running away. [Txt to Jason] Boo.[Txt to Dick] <3
Dick [TEXT] HEY! You're awake! Good. How are you feeling? Want me to come up?
Cass [Txt] hi yes ok yes [Txt] bring good tea
Dick [TEXT] Only the best for my best sister~
Cass [Txt] thankyou
Dick arrives a few minutes later with a covered cup of tea, specially suited for hospital stays and fully approved by Adebayo-- mostly, after a little lecture and a lesson about teas that, frankly, he didn't know he'd needed, but found very interesting anyway. He sits beside her and sets the cup on the bedside table. "Want me to help you sit up a little more?"
"Can you?" Cass nods, eager to sit up, even if it wasn't under her own power just yet. It would at least make drinking a cup of tea easier.
Dick nods and leans forward, gently picking her up and scooting her back, fluffing the pillows as needed for support. "Anything I can do for you, I will."
Cass smiles as she takes the warm tea cup in her hands. Properly sitting up made things so much easier. "How's Gotham?" she asks him while she takes in the scent of her tea (not her favorite, but it should be better than the tea she tried to drink for breakfast).
Dick sits back to watch her drink, making sure she seemed OK. "It's Gotham. Nothing too bad right now."
Cass sets down her tea, eyeing Dick carefully, "Ivy and Inque?" her two favorite topics as of late.
Dick clears his throat unconsciously-- as if his slightly stiffening posture didn't give him away enough-- and pours himself a glass of water from the pitcher at her bedside. "No word on Ivy or the drug she's making. The report's filed, though, so hopefully we'll get a lead on that soon."
Cass narrows her eyes at her brother. His posture alone has given away that he was keeping something from her. "Dick." her tone scolds, asking him to tell her whatever it was he was keeping from her.
Dick looks at her over his cup, the rim touching his lips still even though he was no longer drinking. He sits there for a moment longer to see how long the ruse can last, but her look is unforgiving as ever, so he sighs and sets the glass back down. "I outfitted the old Hagen safe house the other night and took Inque there. Convinced her to come there. So, that's where she's at."
Cass slowly, and stiffly turns her neck, looking from him to the other side of the room. "Why." she demands, her voice low and harsh.
Dick lets out a low breath, fighting to keep his posture from going defensive. She's worried, she's upset, and he's not explaining enough. "Because now we know where she is. She's off the streets and somewhere we can watch her at all times. It was the best way to deal with her until another plan can be made."
Cass folds her hands on her lap, keeping her eyes trained on wall. "Who's watching her?"
"Our security cameras. I have them set up to notify me of any attempts to break out or suspicious movement." He smirks slightly. "And I've got the Clayface protocol in place, so I don't think she'll be able to slip out. You should see her, Cass. She goes all... gooey and liquidy, like a more fluid version of Clayface. It's weird."
He sounds a little too obviously impressed with this weirdness.
"She drugged me." She crumples her hands against her sheets, turning back to face Dick, "And you think...she's special." Cass is visibly hurt by Dick's response to finding Inque.
Dick blanches. "No, Cass. No, no, no, no." He reaches out, laying his hand on top of hers. "She's dangerous, I know that. That's why I wanted to get her somewhere she can't get out. If she's contained, she's one less person we have to deal with." He rubs the back of her hand. "I'm so sorry, Cass. I didn't think. That was wrong of me. I'm sorry."
Her lip quivers as she fights over forgiveness for her brother. "Keep her there." she orders. Leaning back, she presses her forehead to her pillow. She whines, the sound high and frustrated- just like she had with Cheshire's taunts in the Gotham hospital she'd been found in. Being useless was useless.
Dick hangs his head, actually feeling ashamed of what he'd done-- or, more of not thinking about it while doing it. He reaches up and brushes back her hair, cooing softly to soothe her. "I'm sorry."
Cass slows her breath as Dick's hand draws through her hair, whispering back, "I know." Dick had always been the easiest person to read, which made being mad at him too difficult.
Dick leans forward and presses a light kiss to her temple, careful of her bruises. "How are you feeling?"
Cass mumbles, "Useless."
Dick freezes, his breath hitching in his throat, stomach clenching. He knows that feeling all too well, and what it can do to someone like them, like Cass. "Has Bruce been to see you yet?"
Cass nods, "Yes. Why?"
"What did you two talk about? Did he ask you anything?"
"My attack. What I remembered...I underestimated." she nods, trying to explain it all as best as she had with Bruce.
Dick nods and takes her hand again. "But you gave information. You told us something we didn't know. That's not useless."
Cass sighs, "Yeah. But. I can't move. That's what I do." physical cues and movement was what she was born and bred to do. Being pinned down had so many disadvantages she was noticing now that she found a real reason to leave. No wonder Bruce had asked her not to escape.
Dick squeezes her hand. "I know. Let me tell you a trick I learned a long time ago when I was bedridden for a while. When I got sick of staying in bed all day, I tried finding movement in stillness. Let me see if this makes sense." He lets go of her hand and spins his chair around, leaning back on it to lay out the same way she was. "OK, so, you can't really get up and go anywhere, but some parts of you still move. So, what I'd do, is I start with my toes." He kicks off his shoes and points to his feet. "Clayface is down there, let's say. He's tiny. But I'm tiny. All of me is down there in my toes. So, I brace myself--" He curls his toes. "--And when the moment's right, I leap into action!" His toes straighten out again with a snap, as if flicking something away from them. "Then I go to the next foot and so on. When I've defeated my enemy, I might take a little nap or watch something, but then when I need to move again, I move up a little higher, maybe to my ankles or, if I can't use the rest of my legs, to my fingers."
He smiles gently. "Does that help?"
Cass smiles slowly, watching her brother demonstrate his bedridden movement trick, "Yes." she nods, "That'll help." she had been meaning to practice story telling like the kind Dick was so good at sharing anyway...why not imagine some bad guy to fight along her body as well.
Dick smiles wider and takes her hand again. "Excellent! I'm really glad." He looks her straight in the eye, his expression kind, but serious. "You are never useless, Cass. Don't ever start to believe that you are."
Cass wiggles her feet, "Ok." she agrees, trying for Dick's sake (and probably Bruce's too) to not let that uselessness begin to stifle her. "So. Inque." while she can promise to feel better, she can't yet squash her curiosity over the woman. What had Dick said to her? What had she said to Dick? What was she doing right this second.
Jason [text]: hey cass how you feeling?
Dick purses his lips. "Inque. Well, we'll need to be careful of her. Her powers-- or whatever-- make her able to wrap around or blend into just about anything, so we'll need to keep an eye on that."
Cass taps out her texts to Jason as Dick speaks. [Txt] meh [Txt] Dick gave me tea [Txt] So it's not bad
Looking up at Dick, she frowns, "Weird."
Jason [text]: was gonna come by and see you later [text]: want me to bring you anything?
Dick nods. "Yeah. I got a little footage of her to archive, get her into our system."
Cass [Txt] I can't have much. [Txt] So. Just you!
"Can I see?" she asks Dick.
"Sure." He pulls up the footage from their talk on the roof. There's no sound, by the visuals are clear.
Jason [text]: okay ill be there soon [text]: tell dick hes still a jerk
Cass [Txt] Ok.
She looks up from her phone, holding it out for Dick to see. "You are a jerk. Still."
He pouts. "Aww!"
Cass shrugs, "It's true." but she grows quieter, more serious as she studies the footage.
Dick gives Cass a look, but doesn't say anything as she watches, letting her focus.
Jason heads to the Watchtower after his last text, arriving a few minutes later and meanders his way to the medbay. Ignoring Dick for the moment, he walks over to Cass' bed and leans down to loop his arms loosely around her shoulders, chin resting on top of her head. "What'cha watching?"
Cass smiles, but doesn't take her eyes off the screen as Jason arrives. "Inque." Cass points to the dark pale figure on the screen. She stiffens as Inque constricts herself around Dick's lower half, her brother's movements slow, but there is no retaliation to her surprise.
Dick looks up at Jason. "She's the one you met, right?"
Jason watches the video over Cass' head, frowning a little. "Yeah, I met her. Getting pretty up close and personal there, big bird," he says, tone even. "You sure you're not the one that need the talk?"
Dick shoots him a glare that's a little darker than intended. "Ha. Ha."
Cass pulls her eyes away from the screen to eye Jason, "The talk?"
Dick makes a face. "He means the talk I mentioned during the phone call."
"Don't worry about it," Jason says, gently patting Cass' shoulder. He's not exactly glaring when he looks at Dick, but it's close. "Yeah, thanks for that. So what the hell were you doing with Inque?" Because he noticed that glare, big brother.
"Oh." she frowns, still watching the video as Inque seemingly seams herself to Dick's Nightwing uniform. And she noticed that look in the video, "Dick."
Dick shuts off the video and looks at them both. "What? I had to get her there somehow! I took her to a safe house and trapped her there. I haven't got an alert yet, so it's safe to say she's still there. I'm gonna go back and check on her later."
Jason is now even more suspicious when he looks at Dick. "And what exactly did you do to get her there?" He has a few ideas floating around his head, because if Dick of all people is getting defensive and secretive, something must be up.
Cass leans back into Jason, hands folded tightly in her lap as she eyes Dick.
Jason shifts a little, sitting on Cass' bed and pulling her in close against his chest, arms still looped around her protectively.
Dick takes a breath and looks Jason in the eye, Bat-poker face on. "I made her think she was going to get something out of it if she came with me and I kept her distracted enough that she didn't notice the traps being set. I thought it's a good way to keep her under surveillance where we can find her and keep her off the streets."
Jason knows that Bat-poker face exceptionally well. He often uses it himself. "How did you distract her?"
"That's not really any of your business," Dick says, unconsciously slipping halfway into Batvoice.
Cass claps her hands, perking up at just how defensive Dick has become, "Well!" although it's probably not fair she and Jason seem to be teaming up on him...if it has something to do with Inque, she wants answers.
Jason cocks his head to one side. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Bruce. I didn't mean to overstep, but here's the thing. Maybe it's not my business, but it's hers," he says sharply nodding at Cass. "I heard what happened with her and Ivy. You don't hafta tell me shit, but you owe it to her."
Dick takes in a breath, eyes widening slightly-- because that's not fair, no one was supposed to ask, no one would understand why--
Inque [text:blue] so are you just going to leave me here alone all night?
Dick jumps when his phone goes off and checks it. He pales just the faintest bit. [TEXT] Wait.
Dick sighs. "I let her think she seduced me." He tucks his phone away, as if that will make them forget it just rang.
Inque [text:blue] for?
Cass crosses her arms over her chest, turning away from Dick again, "Was that her?"
Jason is about five seconds away from trying to snatch the phone out of Dick's hand when he finally answers. His eyes narrow ever so slightly. "Was she the only one that thought she seduced you?"
Dick lets out a soft growl and replies. [TEXT] A minute.
Dick looks up at Jason sharply. "What does that mean?"
Jason keeps his expression even. "Did you fuck her?"
Inque [text:blue] bored.
Dick looks down at his phone and stands. "I have to go."
Cass frowns, "Fine."
"Guess that answers my question." He manages to keep the surprise from his voice. The slight irritation is plain enough though.
Dick reaches out for Cass' hand once more, but stops himself, dropping his arm with a sigh. "I'll come see you again soon, OK?"
Cass nods, looking to Dick's dropped hand, "Ok."
His hand twitches, clearly wanting to move again, but he's not sure it would be good for any of them. "Rest well. Remember the trick I taught you for when you get restless." He glances up at Jason then back to Cass once more before turning around and heading for the door.
"Use a condom!" he calls after Dick. Maybe it's petty, but he's still a little sore about that. Later, he'll probably find parts of this hilarious.
Cass leans her head on Jason's shoulder, "He's in trouble."
Dick nearly crushes his phone when he hears Jason, storming down the halls of the Watchtower as he replies. [TEXT] What, don't like Gotham's best TV?
"Massive trouble," he agrees, leaning his head against hers.
Inque [text:blue] not in particular.
Dick [TEXT] What a shame. [TEXT] Hungry? I can pick up something.
Cass sighs, "You're mad at him. From what he said...to you. And Jaime?"
Jason gives a one shouldered shrug to avoid moving Cass. "More annoyed than mad. I'll be over it in a couple days. Just ticks me off that he gives me shit and then pulls something like this, y'know?" It's also easier to act mad than admit that he might be concerned.
Cass nods slowly, closing her eyes as she rests comfortably against Jason, "Yeah...yeah." she didn't like Dick pulling these stunts any more than he did.
Inque [text:blue] not for anything you can buy~
Jason rests his cheek against her head, happy to settle in with her. "Kinda worry about him sometimes," he says very softly. "Freaks me out when he starts acting like Bruce."
Dick [TEXT] Well, you wouldn't want me to cook, I'll tell you that much. [TEXT] I'll be there in 5.
Inque [text:blue] i was being lascivious.
Cass nudges her head against his cheek, "Me too. He's not supposed to...be like him..."
Dick [TEXT] I was trying to play it cool. [TEXT] Let's see who wins when I get there~
Inque [text:blue] i'll be here. do the other bats know you're keeping me prisoner?
"None of us are," Jason replies, voice still quiet. For a few long moments, he goes silent, brow furrowed in thought before he turns a little and kisses Cass' temple. "Want me to grab you anything from the cafeteria?"
Dick [TEXT] They know you're somewhere secure, yes.
Inque [text:blue] so you didn't tell them. cute. i hope there's a live feed they can watch.
Dick growls. [TEXT] No one is going to be watching us except me. [TEXT] That came out wrong.
Inque [text:blue] i think it came out perfectly.
Dick arrives at the safe house, the locks only disengaging when it senses she's far enough away from the door. He enters and shuts it immediately behind him, leaning against it as the locks go back into place. "You are under surveillance, but I'm the only one with the code to it. It's for your safety."
Inque lounges on a sofa, laying on her back with her legs crossed, dangling over an armrest. She smirks as he shuts the door, but doesn't look over at him, just keeps her eyes trained on whatever awful show is on -- the news, apparently. Delightful. "My safety?" she asks, amused. "I think you mean everyone else's." She might sound collected, even entertained by this -- but she's seething a little. Being trapped like a rat in a cage really isn't her style -- been there, done that, killed a whole lot of people to get out. "So you get your very own private show? This is beginning to sound fetishy."
Dick crosses his arms. "We're not having sex again."
Inque laughs, glancing over at him and stretching out a little. Well, if he means it she's got approximately... zero reasons not to wreck this place trying to get out. And if he's bluffing, it's strangely endearing.
Dick watches her, the way she laughs and lounges like she's just fine right here. It upsets him, makes him feel guilty about the whole thing, but at the same time, there's a dark sort of delight he takes in this. He is, for the most part, in control of this situation, and this was all his idea. There's a strange comfort in that that he really doesn't want to think about right now. "What would it take to get you to stay here?"
Inque sits up slightly, the laughter subsiding as she smirks over at him. "A good reason," she replies simply, the smirk fading into something more predatory, challenging. "One that doesn't have anything to do with you being concerned for 'my safety', since we both know that's an outright lie," she adds, settling back down.
Dick raises an eyebrow. "Even one that sounds a little fetishy?"
Inque doesn't say anything, just studies him. She bobs her head slightly, a non-verbal 'well?'
Dick stares back evenly. "You hurt someone very close to me. So I will do everything it takes to keep you here and to keep you from doing it again." He tilted his head forward, making sure she was still holding his gaze. "Anything it takes."
Inque pauses, considering this -- and then laughs again, louder this time. She doesn't move from the sofa, doesn't even sit up -- she just looks over at him, even more entertained than before. "It's adorable that you're such a white knight for her -- and I had fun, but offering me something I can get anywhere doesn't really hit the spot," she replies, her amusement disguising any other tones in her voice. She pauses, smile widening a little as she arches her back off the cushions, cracking her spine. "That would make it a lot easier for you, wouldn't it? Guilt free, because you're sacrificing yourself to keep other people safe?" she asks in a tone like needles coated in candy, crossing her arms behind her head and laying back on them. "How noble."
Dick shrugs. "I also find you very attractive and arousing. What can I say? I like danger."
Inque narrows her eyes a little, still entertained, but -- "What was it you said earlier? Something about not doing it again?" she asks, slightly mocking.
Dick purses his lips, then grins, pulling off his gauntlets. "I guess I'm unpredictable, too."
Chatzy log. The third part of the Inque Saga. Takes place after the introduction to Nightshade, and after the attack and rescue of Cass, who has been returned to the Watchtower to recover.
Dick suits up for the night in one of the safe houses in his section of the city. He's been making it his home away from any home, a quick but secure place to stay during the worst times in Gotham, or when he needs to cover several shifts. Cass is secure and being looked after in the Watchtower, so that's fine for now. A nap, a little food, and he's back on the streets to pick up the slack. Lack of sleep, adrenaline, and a fierce need to do some damage: it's a decent enough combination for him.
He isn't particularly merciful tonight, not to any would-be muggers, looters, or drug dealers in the area. It's all rich crime here, ridiculously enough. Spoiled brats and fratbros who spray paint poorly drawn anarchy symbols on every building and shout about how chaos is the only true god in Gotham. Well, at least Gotham's being nice to him tonight. Those are some of his favorites to take down.
Inque fortuitously happens to be nearby, her current residence stolen from a (now deceased) rich-kid-thug-wannabe's top-floor condo, all expenses paid courtesy of daddy's money. She's out on the balcony, leaning over and taking in the view (and a martini, she'd missed these) when she spots a certain blue and black figure perching on another building across the way -- and then leaping down to take care of some business. Well, well. She sets her drink down on the railing and liquefies, slithering between the rails and out across the alley to get a bird's eye view of the action.
It's almost cute in an annoying, pathetic sort of way, the way these kids don't run the second he lands. Instead, they pull out their little Junior Explorer pocket knives and belts-- and Dick is SO going to pants that guy-- and stomp around to make their little half-circle around him. They have the sort of beady-eyed stupid look that almost makes him feel bad for them-- "C'mon and FIGHT you fuckin' faggot!"-- and, nope, moment's gone. He takes out two of them with one swoop of his eskrima stick, not even pausing to admire the way they fall before elbowing Pocket Knife #2 in the stomach and striking his forearm. He drops to the ground, kicking a leg out to trip the slowly standing Pocket Knife #1, before rolling over to, like he'd promised himself, pants Belt Boy and toss him into the others. "Now why don't you all just run along back home and don't let me hear you say that again, hmm?"
Inque can't help but smirk as she watches him fight, solidifying on the top level of a fire escape as one of the thug wannabes gets pantsed. How charmingly immature. They groan collectively, and one of them makes like he's going to get up-- "Kids today, no manners," she chides loudly, teasingly as she leans languidly over the corroding railing.
Dick looks up at the sound of her voice, his eyes narrowing behind his mask. "You! What do you want?" He absently whacks the man across the thigh, sending him back down with a thud, all Dick's attention on Inque.
Inque shrugs exaggeratedly, leaning a little further out. She sets her arms on the crossbeam and props her head up with one arm, smirking down at him. "Me," she answers, the smirk widening. "Just enjoying the show."
Dick hops up onto the fire escape and climbs towards her. "Haven't you had enough of a show lately? Or is everything here just so boring for you, you have to come stalk me?"
Inque doesn't move when he starts approaching -- she's more than confident she could kill him if it came down to it. Not that she wants to. Yet, anyway. No fun in that. "Stalk you?" she replies, amused. "My generous benefactor has a condo down the street. I just looked outside at the right moment and saw that unmistakable--" she pauses, obviously checking him out, "--outfit."
Dick raises an eyebrow, both at this notion of a 'generous benefactor' and the way she's clearly looking him over. "Really? I think I'd like to meet this benefactor of yours. Maybe he could shed some light on a few things."
Inque tsks, liquefying briefly and snaking around the railing, re-emerging as herself sitting on top of the narrow beam, hands wrapped loosely around the metal. "I'd love to introduce you. How long can you hold your breath? I hear the harbor's impressively deep in the middle."
Dick reaches her level and shakes his head, leaning back against the railing. "You get thrown into a different time and all you do is hurt people. You don't find that a little sad?"
Inque studies him for a second, the smile fading into something a little more hostile, sneering. "No, I don't. That's all anyone did to me for years -- it's nice to be on the giving end for once," she replies. And then she shrugs, one corner of her mouth quirking up slightly. "If you're implying I killed him, you're wrong. He just had a little accident, all I did was get rid of the body. I don't like corpses where I sleep."
"I'm sure you don't." He crosses his arms, cocking his head to look her over. "You really don't see this as a second chance, do you? I mean, if I was thrown back to the past, well, I mean, yeah, first I'd be trying to get back to my present, but... Don't you want to make a better life for yourself now? You don't have to pay it back to people who aren't even around yet. You can be whoever you want to be. No one here could tell you you're not good enough."
Inque swings her legs a couple of times, leaning back slightly. "You're a sweetheart," is what she comes up with for a response, and she even sounds genuine. "This isn't a second chance, Bluebird. This is Purgatory. It's an opportunity to correct all the bad things before they happen." Things she's not going to mention, because she's pretty sure that mentioning wanting to murder Batman would end badly. "If you had the chance to rewrite the past, wouldn't you?"
Dick thinks about this for a moment before shaking his head. "You know, I don't think so. Not anymore, anyway."
Inque tilts her head. "Really? There's not a single thing you'd change, even to make a better life for someone else?" Because that's totally what she's doing. Definitely. Or will do, anyway.
Dick shrugs. "Depends. Would everything else stay the same, even though that one thing changed? I don't know if it's worth messing with time that much."
Inque leans forward again, smiling. "And that's where it gets interesting," she replies, eyes glittering with uncharacteristic excitement. She hops down and takes a few steps closer (maybe even too much closer, she's not good with other peoples' personal space), hands on her hips as she looks up at him, smirking lightly. "Let's pretend, though, that I'll reconsider. What do you want me to do?"
Dick doesn't even flinch as she comes near, but does uncross his arms. "Stay safe and off the streets. I have a safe house you could use that's untraceable. With your--" He gestures at all of her. "--ability, you could be a great ally for us. What-- I mean, how do you even do that?"
Inque laughs a little, entertained. "I am safe. No Interpol, no Powers, no mutagen de-stabilizers, no Batman -- who I'd still like to meet, by the way," she replies, dropping her hands from her hips, her smile somewhere between pleased and predatory. She tilts her head slightly, eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly. "Somehow, I don't think you trust me enough to play with the rest of your friends," she adds, not in a hurry to answer that last question.
Dick smirks. "Of course I don't. I'm afraid you'd just be stuck with me." And, he won't lie, he is a bit interested in this strange future she comes from, but for now, he has to deal with her in the present. "I don't think I'd trust you much farther than I could throw you."
Inque echoes the smirk, tilting her hips a little as she crosses and uncrosses her arms across her chest. "Lucky for me, I don't think I mind that too much," she hums, taking another step closer. If she wasn't in his personal bubble before, she is now. "Lucky for you, too."
Dick quirks an eyebrow up and stands a little straighter, leaning a little closer. "Is it? What kind of luck do you think I'm getting?"
Inque doesn't say anything, just tilts her head a little and smirks before melting down and oozing around the fire escape. "What kind of luck do you want it to be?" she teases, stretching up to the roof.
Dick starts, watching her with mild awe as she moves. "How do you do that?"
"How do you walk?" she asks, solidifying on the tarmac.
Dick grins because wow, that's fascinating and he kinda wants to know what that feels like when she does it, so he follows her up onto the roof. "I've never met someone who could do that. Similar, but not quite so...free-flowing. Is there a Plastic Man in your time?"
Inque pauses, thinking. "Not as far as I know," she replies with a little shrug. "I've been compared to Clayface, if you're familiar. Not very flattering."
Dick scrunches his nose. "I was trying to keep him out of my thoughts, thanks. He's not nearly as charming as you are. Just as easy to trust, though."
Inque laughs, liquefying and slithering around his legs, wrapping once around his torso and twisting an inky, elongated neck over his shoulder. "What makes you think I trust you?" she asks teasingly, almost convivially as she looks back at him with a blank white face. Sure, she could constrict him like a python -- but she doesn't really feel like it. She's more curious to see exactly how far he trusts her -- he's not stupid enough to let her use him, but she can see other... arrangements being made.
Dick stiffens just a little as she wraps around him. This is weird and it feels weird, but it's only when she reaches his shoulder that some of her brushes his exposed jaw and wow, yeah, that does feel weird and oddly not entirely unpleasant. "I'm sure you don't," he says, looking sideways at her. OK, the blank face thing is weird and much closer to the unpleasant kind. "I guess that makes us kind of even."
Inque smirks -- or would be smirking if she had a face. Even is a start. "In case you're worried, I don't murder people for fun. Creds and revenge are another story," she says, pulling her neck back in as the top half of her body resolidifies into the familiar, pale woman. That lower half is staying wrapped around his legs, though. "And while we're being so even and honest with each other," she starts, loosely draping her arms around his waist from behind as she leans in, half-whispering in his ear, "I can think of a few ways to get Clayface out of your head." That tone is totally unmistakable. She's suggesting what you're thinking she's suggesting.
Dick leans back on his heels slightly, tilting his head back to see her out of the corner of his eye. "Really? I wonder if they're the same ways I'm thinking about." This is stupid and he knows it, but he's also tired and pent up and, yeah, maybe a little willing to make terrible decisions right about now. He'll deal with that later. "But I don't know how comfortable this roof is for those kinds of ways."
Inque smiles, and it's one-hundred-percent predatory. She's extremely pleased this is working out so well, if a little surprised. "Your place probably works better, the previous tenant in mine wasn't a very good housekeeper." He's only been dead for like, three days. Cut her some slack, she's been too busy to clean up fratboy mess. And then she ducks behind him, her entirety melting down and effortlessly blending in with the black on his outfit, spreading and thinning out. He might not even notice she's hitching a ride, she's made effort to perfect this -- it's a useful talent.
Dick looks around when she all but disappears, but he can't quite shake the feeling of her touch and-- Oh. Well, that's... strangely arousing, somehow. He pulls out a line and heads for the safe house, taking as many shortcuts as he can to reach it. When they arrive in the safe house, he taps a code into his wrist gauntlet. "There. Now it's secure for the night." He looks down at himself. "You can, ah, come off, now."
Inque peels herself off, puddling on the floor around his boots before oozing a few feet behind him and reshaping. She looks around for a moment, taking in her surroundings -- and then she's stretching out, twisting around him and wrapping her arms around his neck as she leans in for a hard kiss.
Chatzy log. The first part of the Inque Saga. Takes place right after the Joker attack but before Cass is attacked by Walt.
Inque might still not be entirely sure what's going on, or where she is -- and spending the past few days trying to figure out who's who in Gotham has helped -- she has time periods, Presidents, an impromptu history lesson -- and she's sure this isn't a hallucination, but it's still not enough. There's been one certain, special someone missing from the scene. But as it stands, she's enjoying the chaos from the financial district's demise, walking through the half-collapsed streets in her human form with a little smile on her face as Gotham's Finest fight off the info brokers and looters interested in the remains (and cash. Actual paper money, people still use that?). At least this is a little closer to what she's used to, even if he isn't here. No place like home.
Dick scoots over onto the couch with Tim and Cass gone for a moment-- yay, Titans talks-- and sits next to Jason. He starts to nudge him, but catches himself, remembering the way Jason flinched. "You OK, Jay?"
Jason shrugs, eyes fixed on his half empty coffee mug. "Dunno. Just kinda... trying not to think about things, y'know?"
Dick nods. "Yeah, I get you. But that's not always the best way, y'know? Sometimes you have to think about them before they make you. Talking about it helps."
"Well, see, I don't really wanna talk about it," he says flatly, still not looking at Dick. "There's not much to say anyway. The Joker came after me and it brought back bad memories, that's it, that's the whole thing."
"That's OK. You don't have to talk about it now or to me, but just.... I want you to know you can talk about it when you're ready and when you want to." Dick nods, taking a small drink from his cool tea. "It can take a long time, talking about bad things. I just want to know if you're OK and handling things OK."
"Well, I'm not drunk off my ass and passed out in a ditch, so I'm handling it better than I usually do," he says with a shrug. Letting out a breath, he lets his head flop back onto the couch. "I know I can talk to you. I just... talking about it makes me think about it and that's not really something I wanna do right now."
Cass heads back to Jason and Dick. Titan talk with Tim done for the night as he heads off for patrol, which she should be doing as well. Peering over the couch she smiles softly, "You two ok?" reaching over the couch she wiggles Dick's shoulder, "I should be on patrol soon. So."
Dick nods and gently squeezes Jason's shoulder. "I understand that very well." He smiles up at Cass when she shakes him. "Ah, we're good. Winding down over toast and coffee. Tell Cass how good my coffee was, Jay!"
"It was okay," he says with a shrug, before flashing Dick a teasing grin. "Might wanna check out the financial district again, bet there's gonna be looters all over the place if you're heading back to Gotham," he adds, turning his attention to Cass.
Cass looks surprised, "Your coffee was good?! It was good?!" she turns to Jason, in disbelief. But her tone sobers as Jason reminds her of the situation in Gotham. It was unfortunately easy to forget when you were in another state. "Yes."
Dick fake sobs at his siblings' disbelief at his coffee skills, but groans when he mentions looters. "Nothing like pseudo-free money and tech to start some riots."
"Everyone loves busting a good window or too after a couple blocks of buildings explode," he says with a huff.
Cass leans over the couch, gently hugging on Jason, then Dick before standing up. "We'll talk later." she promises, before heading out for Gotham. Yay looters.
Jason twitches a little at the hug, but reaches up to gently pat her shoulder instead of pulling away. "Have fun."
Dick swivels around to hug her back. "Stay awesome out there. Call if you need backup.
Inque has made her way to the top of a low building, and sits at the edge, legs dangling over as she examines a handful of credits -- credit cards, apparently -- that she'd plucked from the rubble. Despite only being in Gotham for a few days, she'd already gained a little following of petty criminals who were more than happy to do some dirty work to appease her. Of course, she didn't actually need or want their help -- they were expendable, easily manipulated idiots she was using as bait. If they managed to actually get out of there with valuables she wouldn't complain, but it's not her priority.
Jason frowns, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "Hey, Dick, did you hear if B and Ollie actually managed to catch the clown?" His brow furrows and he drums his fingers on his coffee cup. "Don't think anyone should be out there without backup if he's still on the streets."
Dick shakes his head. "I haven't heard anything about it. I could text them? I wonder if he's even still out there. He seems to like lying low between events."
"Feel like we would've heard if they did. And I know, but..." Biting at the inside of his lip, he shifts in his seat again, trying to fight down the rising anxiety. "Even if he's lying low, his thugs could still be out there. Just... don't like it. I know Cass can handle herself, but... if he shows up and she's out there alone..."
Dick grimaces and nods. "I know. I don't like it. Maybe she'll meet up with Tim to patrol, that'd be good. We've just gotta keep thinking things are gonna be all right."
"Maybe... he might head back to the Tower though. Pretty sure he's still working with Steph to find Mar'i's shooter." He sets down his mug, glancing at the door. "Maybe we should head out to back her up. Just in case."
Dick raises an eyebrow. "Do you really think you're in any shape to go out on patrol?"
Cass surveys over the financial district roughly half an hour after leaving Star City. She surveys the scene before making her presence known, not wanting to drop in unnecessarily. Turning to head onto the net building for a closer look across the street, Cass spies Inque. Deciding this is unusual enough she heads over.
Jason looks down at his leg and grimaces. "It's not like it's broken..." He makes an attempt to stand up, but immediately sinks back down, too dizzy to keep his footing. With nothing else to do, he pulls out his phone, hesitating for several moments before texting Jaime. [text]: hey thanks for helping me out last night i owe you one
Inque glances up and notices the dark figure heading towards her. She narrows her eyes, not sure who it is -- it's not him, that much is certain. Setting the cards down on the tarmac, she leans back on her hands, relaxing as she waits for company to arrive.
Jaime txt> tbh i think dick did more than me but de nada
Cass steps on a card, the plastic sliding against the tarmac. She crouches down, eyes narrowed on Inque, "Not yours."
Dick nods sagely when Jason goes down again. "I'm good company, I promise."
Inque looks up -- and hers widen a little, almost imperceptibly. A girl? He even had -- it takes all of her willpower to not laugh as she stands up, dusting herself off. First the one in the red, and now a girl -- how many proteges did he go through? "No, I took them off of one of those dregs down there," she replies, lying through a small smile as she crosses her arms. "It's a shame how many people take advantage of things like this."
"Mmhmm, sure you are, big bird." His obnoxious remark doesn't stop him leaning over just a little to rest his head on Dick's shoulder. He's not quite ready for hugging, but this much he can take. [text]: you did plenty [text]: needed someone to talk me down when the clown was freaking me out that was you not dick
Dick smiles and makes himself comfortable for Jason to lean on.
Jaime txt> im glad u liked talking about breakfast w me that much txt> u two ok? txt> has ga seen the door yet lol
Jason gives Dick a small smile. [text]: you know what i mean blue [text]: yeah were fine still hanging around ollies [text]: if he did it was while i was out think it texted him about it when i was half conscious
"Nice lie." Cass moves in closer, the lie visibly rolling off her. "You're the dreg."
Inque raises an eyebrow, but doesn't let it faze her. "I'm sorry, but -- you're one of Batman's, right?" she asks, shifting on her feet. "I'm not... really from around here. You can ask --" she pauses, thinking. "Red Riding Hood? We've met before."
"Yes. One of his." Cass takes a step forward, but her next step falters as she mentions, "Riding Hood. You've..." she sighs. Something about Inque feels, off. The lies she could detect, but her asking for Jason. That didn't seem in line with what she'd say. Pressing on her comm, she tries to get in touch with him, "Red Hood, I have a call. From." she turns her attention to Inque, nonverbally asking for more.
"Inque," she offers.
Cass huffs, "Inque."
Jason blinks in surprise when Cass' voice starts talking in his ear. Right, he forgot to take his comm out before he passed out the night before. "What? Inque? Oh... yeah, I ran into her before. She says she's from the future or something. What's she want?"
Dick finishes off a few tiny pieces of toast and cocks his head at the talk of someone from the future.
"I found her. With credit cards." with knowledge of Inque, Cass studies her further, looking over small details. "She wants an out."
Jason glances up at Dick. "Apparently Cass ran into the same temporal anomaly I did." He frowns. "Credit cards, huh? Is she helping out the looters?"
Dick raises his eyebrows. "Temporal anomalies. That's fun."
"Looters?" Cass asks Inque, moving to look down to the street below. She turns back, eyes narrowed to slits, "Really?"
Inque uncrosses her hands and puts them on her hips. "I don't want an out, I just wanted him to vouch that I'm not some common criminal," she replies, frowning a little. "From what I've gathered, I'm from thirty years ahead of you, and the only person that seems to still be around is Batman."
"Yeah, apparently there've been a whole bunch on the East coast, and one's hanging around Gotham. All I've seen her do is knock out a mugger," Jason says, intending for both Dick and Cass to here. "Dunno much about her... other than that she can do this thing where she stretches out her arm like crazy."
Dick lets out a low whistle. "Meta? Metanomaly. Hopefully she's one of us."
Cass listens as Jason speaks to Dick, eyes darting from Inque to the building in front of her. "If you're not a criminal, what are you."
Inque shrugs, still pouting a little. "I am what they made me," she replies nebulously. "All I'm trying to do is figure out how I got here, and how to get back to my Gotham. I don't care what's going on in yours, I just want to go home," she insists, face falling a little more. Well, that and maybe kill Batman. She's pretty sure she missed her calling as an actress with this performance.
Cass huffs, rocking back on her heels, "Yeah. Right." she could understand that, but it wasn't the time for sympathy. Her read on Inque is muddled, mixed between Jason's description of her and the woman standing in front of her. "You're home now." she turns, looking to the street below, the cop's handle of things still maintained. "You're a happening."
Inque glances down at what's left of the riots, at the flares and squad cars lining the block. "This isn't my home," she replies, grimacing a little. Ugh, this mess? No. "My Gotham is... I guess crime hasn't gone down, but it's taller. Bigger," she goes on, eyes flicking back up to Cass. "And we only have one Bat."
"You're in my home." Cass clarifies, trying to have Inque understand that she is now Black Bat's problem, Red Hood's problem, this Batman's too. "One Bat?" she turns to Inque with interest, "That's no fun." there's no telling if Inque's future is her future. But. Cass' curiosity was hard to tamp down.
Cass presses on her comm, "Nightwing, Inque. Thoughts?" she wants a second opinion. Not that Dick's even seen her before from her understanding- but. From what Jason's told him, maybe he's been able to form some conclusion on her...maybe.
Dick hums in thought. "Sounds meta. Think maybe she's done enough to lock her up? If she really is a time anomaly, we might be able to put her up somewhere we can keep track of her." He glances over at Jason asleep on his shoulder. "Want back up?"
"Likely." She eyes the discarded credit cards. "Please. Thank you."
"Be there soon." He eases Jason off his shoulder, laying him down on the couch gently, mindful of his wounds. With a quick kiss to Jason's forehead, Dick heads out to the zeta pad, locking the apartment behind him. A minute later, he's in Gotham and following Cass' signal. "What've you learned so far?"
Inque frowns. "One Batman is more than enough," she replies, keeping any bitterness out of her voice, he posture relaxed. "Technically, two -- the old man is your Batman," she corrects.
"Oh, two?" maybe Damian took over like he'd always wanted...but she knows Bruce- or at least Bruce as an old man. The possibility of her lining up Bruce's secret identity seems likely with that in mind. She certainly knows too much for Cass' liking. "She's knowledgable." she exhales, to Dick, her voice low. Eyes trained on Inque she adds, "Slick."
Dick looks over the stranger, his small smile making his eyelets look almost amused. "Two Batmans? You sure you're from the future?"
Cass looks up to Dick, pausing to consider him filling Bruce's role not too long ago and he had a point. Dick was considerably younger, a noticeably different Batman than Bruce. Maybe she wasn't so far off.
Inque shrugs a little, hands still firmly on her hips. "Batman and his mentor. He doesn't really put on the suit anymore, unless it's a special occasion." Like her about to murder the young one, things like that. "How many of you are there? He's never really mentioned any of the... others," she adds, pleasantly, like she knows him personally.
Dick cocks his head, still slightly smiling. "D'you work with him? Is there some sort of freelance 'Heroes for Hire' kinda thing?"
Inque smiles and laughs once. "We've worked together when it was... mutually beneficial," she replies, her tone lilting and a little suggestive.
"Ohhhh...." He looks to Cass and nods. "So you're a Rogue."
Cass blinks slowly in agreeing on his assessment. "Inque."
Inque raises an eyebrow. "A Rogue?" she asks, slowly. "Never heard that term for it. Personally, I'd go for friends with benefits, but maybe you do things differently."
Cass blanches, but quickly bounces back, grin lopsided as she looks to Dick, "Sounds like someone else we know."
Dick smirks. "Must be some benefits. So, now that you're here, are you going to be our benefit?"
Inque smirks right back. "You have no idea. Can I just mention how adorable it is you have a term for everything?" And she seriously doubts they know anyone like her, but still-- "That depends on if you can help me out, Bluebird," she purrs. A pause. "And -- Batgirl?" she adds, a little less enthused.
Dick laughs. "Wow, that must be a weird future you come from. Nothing in the history books about the great Nightwing?" He gestures to himself and shakes his head. "For shame."
Cass places her hands on her hips, "Black Bat."
Inque shrugs a little, still smiling. "Never really was one for reading history books. He's never mentioned you -- any of you, actually. I'm counting three so far?" she asks, eager to know how many she might have to get through to get to the old man.
Dick that makes his smile fade just a hair, but not enough to make him worry too much. "What exactly do you want help with?"
Inque shifts on her feet, crossing her arms over her chest again. "Getting back," she replies with a coy smile, pushing down her irritation at his (and her) non-answers. "It's lovely here, don't get me wrong -- but I'm in the middle of some things and I'd really like to get back to them." A pause. "And if it's not too much trouble, seeing him in his prime."
Dick nods thoughtfully. "I'll get you a postcard snapshot of him." He glances to Cass, shrugging his shoulders and cocking his head in a way that asked, "What now?"
Inque pouts a little. "And here I thought we were getting along."
Cass blinks up at Dick, thinking of his earlier assessment. His idea of tracking Inque. "If you'd like to see him. We'll need some contact."
Dick looks back to Inque. "I'm guessing you don't have a residence, yeah? We could set you up at a place."
Inque smiles again, wider and flirty. "It's darling that you're worried, but I've got myself covered," she replies, voice coated in artificial sweetness. Her gaze flicks over to Cass, smile still in place. "I have a phone." That she took off of some random richboy-wannabe-thug's body, but that's not important. She might also be living in his (nice) apartment.
Dick nods in a very "good job, citizen" kind of way. "Good. Glad to know. The streets aren't safe right now. It's good to be... covered." Bless his mask and its ability to hide where his gaze goes.
Cass doesn't buy her act for a second, her flirtation holding zero sway, "Number?" she asks, hoping the phone won't be discarded as soon as this is given out.
"I noticed," she replies, still looking at Cass. Oh, she knows she isn't buying the act. "But I can handle myself," she adds, eyes flicking over towards him briefly. Looking back over at Cass, she recites the number -- thankful she bothered to find it before taking the phone. "I can tell at least one of you takes after him," she replies, her smile twisting into a little smirk as she studies Cass.
Dick types the number into his gauntlet computer. "I'm the blue sheep of the family, what can I say?" He starts a search for the number, seeing if they can trace it.
Cass frowns, but holds back on a familiar gruff exhale. She must not've been familiar with any Robin's either then if she thought Nightwing was out of place. She eyes over Dick's computer, waiting for a possible trace to pick up. Her gaze flickers back to Inque as soon as it registers, "We'll be in touch."
Inque doesn't know if it was a burner, but if the stockpile of phones he had was any indication... "Glad to hear it," she replies, still smiling -- but it's a little colder now, more calculated. Black Bat could be a problem. "Do you need anything else? Birth name, home country, mother's maiden name--" she trails off, tilting her hips and adjusting her arms. "I'm not looking to make enemies or get mixed up in any Bat-business." And, okay, maybe she'd like to take out the source of a lot of her problems before he has a chance to become said source, but she's working on that.
"A name might be nice, even if you're not born yet. Parents' names, too, if you could. That'd be swell."
Inque raises an eyebrow, slightly. She wasn't really expecting him to ask for that. "I don't actually know my parents' names," she replies, glancing to the side -- like she's sad about that. "And they're not -- well, my home country doesn't exist yet." Technically, it does -- but only partially. Semantics.
Dick raises his eyebrows at that. "Wow. How far up is your future anyway?"
"Thirty years, maybe more," she replies, glancing back over at him through her lashes.
"Huh." Cass tilts her head at that. Even in thirty years, she'd think between the group of them, their aliases would be known. But...maybe things weren't as good as she thought. With only Batman prevailing...
Dick frowns. That doesn't really bode well at all. "Sounds like we're in for a lot of change.
Inque shrugs. "The world isn't a very nice place," she replies, only sounding a little bitter.
Dick hopes Jason sees the post-it note stuck to his phone that says, "Quick help for Cass. XOXO, Big Brother" with a cute little cat face on it, when he wakes up.
Dick shakes his head. "That really is a shame."
Cass "Surprise surprise." Cass peers back over the edge of the building, any commotion from below still in the late stages of being cleaned up.
Inque manages another little smile. "You learn to make the most of it," she replies, turning on her heel and starting to head away from the two of them.
Dick calls after her. "Don't get into any trouble, now! You wouldn't want to get a record before you're even born."
Inque pauses, turning her head back around to smirk at him. "You'd have to catch me, first," she replies -- and then hops off the edge.
Cass scoffs at Dick's joke, shaking her head as Inque makes her escape, "She's bad news."
Dick nods to Cass, even as me moves to the other side to see where she landed. Already gone. "She's good," he whispers.
Cass folds her arms, hip cocked out to the side, "In what universe is she good?" Had they even met the same woman tonight?
Dick blinks and turns back around. "I meant in the 'impressive stealth manoeuvres thing', not like a 'wow, she's definitely trustworthy' kind of way, honest. She's definitely up to something." He nodded for extra emphasis.
Cass blinks a few times before the double meaning sinks in, "Oh. Right."
Dick heads back over to Cass, checking his wrist computer. "Phone's not registered, probably a burner. Of course it is." He shuts it down and looks up at Cass curiously. "What do you think of her 'from the future' story? Do you buy it?"
Cass shrugs, "Sort of." What else could explain her strong desire to meet their Batman while also holding little to no knowledge of his family of heroes? Although it had been difficult to catch Batman's attention as of late… "We're..." She walks her fingers out like legs, imitating stepping stones.
Dick laughs. "I'll drink to that. Ugh, I hope she doesn't come from some weird post-apocalyptic future. That would suck. Let's have a nice, relaxing future where we all retire happily for a change."
Cass grins, "Super old us. Yes!" Visualizing everyone gray and old and fat...it was entertaining.
Dick beams, liking this train of thought much more. "We'll all live in a League retirement home. Use batarangs to cheat at Bingo and get out of bed with grappling hooks." He snorts. "We can put wheels on Flash's walker so he can stay the fastest!"
Cass smiles, patting Dick's arm, "That sounds good." And it really does. If only all of it was guaranteed.
"Of course it does. I come up with the best futures!" At least, he'd always try to.
"Yeah you do." She agrees with a grin, inching herself closer to the edge of the rooftop, getting ready to finally drop, "You dream big for everyone."
Dick grins as he pulls out his grapple. "Have to! That's what a big brother does."
Cass salutes Dick before dropping off the building's edge, the familiar pang of a grapple deploying coming just a few seconds later as Cass (safely) returns to her regular patrol.
