Leaving For New York

June 02, 2015:

The Joker confronts Babs, again, and gives her two messages

Gotham

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Mood Music: None.


Fade In…

Somehow, Babs has managed to convince Pepper to join her for lunch in Gotham. Normally Babs would catch a Dragon Express, or something, to New York. "… and because of the issues over on South Hook, I had Dad staying with me for a few days. I can't tell you, Pepper… after living alone for so long, having him there was an interesting experience." The two women, the redder redhead in a wheelchair, are moving down the street towards the restaurant that Babs has booked for lunch.


Pepper Potts walks along next to Babs, enjoying the unhurried nature of the moment. "I'll bet. I can't even imagine having either of my parents stay with me for any length of time. I think I would lose my mind. Don't get my wrong, I love my parents, but I wouldn't be able to stand them in my personal space for that long. Just… no way."


Jes hates Gotham. Seriously..totally hates it. She does however live here, and she's started going to a gym in the city and since meeting Selina Kyle decided maybe it wouldn't be so bad to start getting used to the fact that she lives here. So today the coyote is taking a break and wandering around. She's wearing simple brown sandals and a dark green halter top and jean shorts. It's nice out and she prefers casual wear. Mismatched eyes are gazing around suspiciously and her expression is wary. Every time she comes out in this city it seems like something tries to kill her. So far, its going okay though.


As they pass an alley - unavoidable when walking, or rolling, down the sidewalk - a figure sweeps out behind them and in an instant there's the cold barrel of a gun right up against her head. "Hello again Barbara. It's been so long since our last talk. I hope your friends don't mind me butting in. Out for coffee, were we?"


Huntress is out for coffee as well, not in her costumed persona, however, but under her guise of Maggie Calabrese, and she's just stepping out of the cafe, pulling her oversized shades down in place over her eyes, and clutching at her mocha like it were the lifeblood of the universe itself.


The voice, the barrel against her head, Babs stops breathing, becoming utterly still in her chair. Pepper will see Babs quake, she will Babs composure totally fracture and the struggle the wheel chair bound redhead has to keep grips on the edge of it.


Pepper Potts stops abruptly and stares at the man with the spine-chilling voice and the gun pressed to Babs' head. She's in the habit of carrying her phone in her hand, and when she freezes, she taps her thumb a few times quickly against the touch-responsive screen. It's a pre-arranged 'panic button' that JARVIS monitors for 24/7, and she's only ever had to use it once before. She really hopes the AI's vigilance doesn't fail them now.


Jes is coming up on the opposite end of the alley. She glances aside and down the narrow way as a matter of course. She's noticed that most people just ignore alleys, walk past them like they aren't even there and it kinda baffles her and her hunter's instincts. You should always try to be aware of your surroundings and besides this is Gotham and she's just sure something bad is waiting around the next corner to….well shit. Jes ducks her head and bites down on the curse she wants to utter when she catches the wheel chaired woman's scent on the wind. She's terrified and the scent is vaguely familiar and so is..Oh no. Oh Hell no. Jes stalks forward into the alley, moving as quickly as she can without making a sound.


The Joker leans himself up against the nearest wall, not hard considering where Babs is. The barrel is right up against the wheelchair bound woman's temple. "One bad day. That's all it takes to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. I was thinking about that when I heard about your dear old dad, Barbara. He had a bad day. Lost his house. But apparently not bad enough. But it could get worse, oh yes. Loosing his home… his daughter… Everyone is just one bad day from where I am…" He pulls the hammer back.

"But then I though to myself 'well, I don't know if I think that old Gordon trying to do Mister J one better is really that entertaing.' So I gave it a pass." The hammer eases back. "Hello Miss Potts. Slumming it in the Gotham streets? Metro not dirty enough for you?" He's not paying attention to anyone else yet.


Maggie continues out onto the street, about to continue on her merry way, but the tension coming from Babs and Pepper is something that stands out to her trained eye, and it isn't hard to catch a glimpse of the pistol barrel. She takes a bit of a turn, bringing her down the sidewalk towards the two waylaid woman, flashing a bit of a smile as she closes the distance at a casual walk.


The sound of the hammer being pulled back, causes Babs to flinch. Perhaps she's reliving an event…

"Go Pepper, please…" Babs is visibly shaking "leave now… please" If The Joker hurts Pepper on Babs' watch… it will undo the redder redhead. She will not look at the man who holds the gun, she will not acknowledge his existence. It doesn't surprise her, that he recognises the Stark Industries CEO. It doesn't surprise her that… no… she's not going there.


Pepper Potts is honestly more scared for Babs than for herself. But, even if she's scared almost witless, she's not been the CEO of Stark Industries because of her pretty face. She looks at the man squarely, squaring her shoulders and almost seeming like she's drawing herself up taller than she actually is. "Drop that weapon and leave. Now." Some of the world's most powerful businessmen have hesitated at that tone of voice. But does it work on lunatics? Pepper is REALLY gambling on the hope that it will. Or at least make him hesitate long enough for JARVIS to pull off the sort of minor miracle that she and Tony have started taking for granted.


Jes smiles a little. She really *likes* Lady Pepper. Of course the woman isn't going to run, just like Jes wasn't going to keep walking by when she saw the man with the gun. She eyes his back with a considering look. She would love to kill this guy. He's insane and the insane are dangerous and need to be locked up or put down. She's also holding a grudge yet over their first meeting. However its broad daylight, and right near the busy street and so not a good idea. Besides she'd rather Pepper not witness her animal side in a fight..that isn't something a Lady should see and she might not be fast enough to stop him from shooting. "I think you should listen to the Lady you green haired nut job." "Like right now. Put the gun away. Or I'm going to take it from you and make you eat it." Big words for a little coyote but she's trying to draw his attention to herself so..


"Let's do that yes." Rowan is going to be wet but he doesn't seem to mind. Wet surfacer clothes would be an issue but his adaptive clothing does seem to be rather waterproof. Which looks odd since it looks and feels like a tee shirt and jeans but… there you have it.


The Joker smirks. "And here I had come to talk. Shoot the breeze with old flames." He glances down to Babs and then back up. "Oh, take one more step and I'll blow her brains out. I do hope the police aren't on the way. I'd hate to have to cut this short. So very unfortunate really. I just came to tell you all goodbye. Well, goodbye for a while. Gotham's become dreadfully dreary you see and I think I shall try my hand at seeing the world. I thought I'd start in New York. So I guess that means I'm really saying 'hello' to you, Pepper."

Maggie's approach provokes the hammer going back again. "I wouldn't."


The clicking of Maggie's heels on the sidewalk come to a halt, and she gets a bit better look at the gunman now, one hand lifting her cup of coffee up, "I was just out for a walk, surely you don't want to hurt the girl do you?" she asks. Not making any threatening moves or gestures, though.


Annnndddd…. that's a telling fact, Babs hasn't used the panic button built right into her chair.

The arrival of the young woman from the Zoo, Peppers refusal to leave and now the newcomer…. doesn't really help. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, Babs is still shaking in terror "Well, bon voyage… I guess that's the right term… do you need help packing?"


Pepper Potts is likely starting to get kind of shaky now herself, but she is determined to not let it show. "You're welcome to try. Now go. Away. And never. Come. Back." Her hand tightens around her phone, as if maybe she's about to try throwing it at him?


Jes just looks pissed off. "Then get going! Move. And please, let the city gates hit you in the ass on the way out. Seriously what is wrong with you?? You don't hold a woman in a wheelchair hostage. I don't care how crazy you are." Jes eyes narrow. "Or maybe you're just a big green coward. Can't do anything but pick on women and injured people." Jes is sure Pepper's already used that phone, she just needs to keep distracting him. "Why don't try me? Or are too scared?" Jes keeps moving closer seemingly unconncerned that he has a gun.


The Joker smirks. "Hardly. Just wanted to say bye to… dear old friends." The crazed clown leans in and kisses Babs on the cheek. And whispers something.

And then his gun turns slightly, aiming right at Pepper, and fires twice.


Huntress has that keen Wayne family intuition that sometimes borders on uncanny, and she reacts as fast as she can to the Joker swinging his gun. With one hand she is throwing her cup of hot coffee at the clown's face, meanwhile she is already moving to try to body-check Pepper out of the way, doing her best to keep anyone from being shot, but if she has to take it instead so be it… of course.. this is all contingent on her reacting faster then the Joker can pull the trigger.. which is a tall order given he's got the advantageous position and all!


As The Joker whispers "Just like old times" in Babs ear, her hand and arm are already moving moving…. trying to knock his gun out of the way….

"Pepper!" Babs doesn't really think past that and she's driving the ball of her palm into where The Jokers nose was.


The Joker doesn't stay. He's already moving for the corner and will be around it in a moment. With any luck, they'll all be too worried about Pepper. And if not… well. He's the Joker. They may find this isn't a real good idea. "See you in New York, Chuckles!"


Pepper Potts doesn't really has time to react, not as quickly as Babs and the sunglasses wearing woman do, anyway. She's shoved at almost the exact same time the first shot is fired and despite 'Maggie' throwing herself to block the gunfire and Babs knocking the gun wide, she crumples to the sidewalk.


Jes snarls and leaps forward. She had intended to do just what the strange woman in the sunglasses did and would have been faster but saw her coming and it was too late. She gives the fleeing Joker a dark look but turns back and kneels by Pepper's side. No matter how badly coyote wants to chase, Jes is just as much human and Pepper needs help and .. Babs? that was her name right? Is not looking okay. People tend to find guns alot more frightening than she does. "Lady Pepper!" Jes tries to see how badly or where she was hit.


Huntress pulls her sunglasses off as she realizes she wasn't quite fast enough, an angry little look on her face as she quickly drops down beside Pepper, mouthing a mantra of first aid steps to herself that she learned from h er father as she to starts to check the woman, "Can you hear me.. where does it hurt?" she asks..


Pepper Potts starts to try to sit up again readily enough, though she gasps and puts one hand to her right shoulder. "I'm fine, it's not that bad." Of course, with both Maggie and Jesana crowding her, she loses patience almost instantly. "PLEASE. I'm fine. Where's my phone?" She starts trying to push past the pair to get to Babs despite the blood starting to stain the shoulder of her blouse.


"Pepper… please, " Babs voice breaks "speak to me " no use setting off the alarm in her chair, the madman has gone… fingers curl over her emergency call button… too late… "Is JARVIS sending someone, Pepper?"


Jes sits back at Pepper's commanding tone but she can scent and now see the blood. "No. Stop that!" She gently but very firmly tries to press Pepper back. "You were shot, stop moving. You, find her phone and check it. If she didn't call for help and she probably did, then call an ambulance." Jes directs this towards the woman in the sunglasses. "Miss Babs, she's going to be fine. It's okay. See?" Jes moves a bit so that Bab's can see Pepper.


Huntress gives an exasperated sigh as yet another stranger starts to boss her around, and she gets that cross look, and that cross tone of voice, "Everyone calm down!" She exclaims, a bit louder then maybe needed. She looks to Jes, "I'm a trained Paramedic." She says… mostly true. Then to Pepper, "You've been shot, you are bleeding heavily, and you're probably in shock." She states, "Babs is fine.. but I need you to sit down and let me look at your shoulder. Help is on the way, but if you are bleeding too baddly it may not matter, and I can't tell with your dark clothes how bad it actually is."


Babs fingers tighten than loosen around the arm of her chair… not that it will do much good now. The redder-redhead is ashamed of herself… "Pepper, did you manage to signal JARVIS?" Just in case, Babs uses the signals in her chairs…. a car is despatched from the BatCave… nodescript, piloted by PennyOne… if it's not needed, Babs will send it on its way


Pepper Potts gets to within Babs' line of sight, and that's good enough for now. She sinks to sit on the sidewalk in front of her friend's wheelchair with a grimace, the pain starting to kick in.

"Miss Gordon," JARVIS' voice emits tinnily from somewhere nearby, presumably where ever Pepper's phone ended up. "Miss Potts did indeed contact me, and emergency services are already en route. Please try to remain calm."


Jes gives the strange woman a look. She might have some medical training but she's not a paramedic. That had been a lie. "Lady Pepper.." Jes sighs but smiles. She really hadn't expected her to sit still. "I should have just picked you up and set you there, huh? I was afraid I'd hurt you more though." Jes is rather more muscled than most women her age. "Hey, you did really good." She tells Babs. "Really. I know that must have been scary and that guy is such an…" She just trails off there. None of the descriptive words that come to mind are ones she wants to repeat in front of ladies like these. "Help will be here any minute now."


Huntress moves in towards Pepper, assuming she's not stopped, and will produce a little first aid kit from her own purse which she uses to start examining the bullet wound as much as she's allowed to, and do what she can to stem the bleeding.


Now the threat is gone, Babs eye gleam hard, bright, green, she's starting to function again. "Pepper, I'm sorry, this was all my fault. JARVIS, how long before they get here?" The cool, calm composure that is Oracle starts to settle again across Babs shoulders…Babs fingers curl in Peppers hair…. The Joker just miscalculated, dramatically.

To the two women who have joined her now, Babs offers a tight smile "Thank you, for your help, the police will be here soon" what she doesn't say is, get out while you can "I'm Babs… Babs Gordon."


Jes nods and gives Babs an approving smile. "Thank you!" She says fervently. She would have stayed if they asked, or needed her but its better for her to be gone before police arrive. "Lady Pepper I'll come see you later!" She up and running down the alley and around the corner, probably noticibly faster than would be normal.

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