17894/Keep the coffee train running

Keep the coffee train running
Date of Scene:	10 May 2024
Location:	Arcade Diner - Park Row
Synopsis:	Jim and Ted have a chance meeting in a diner and complain about today's criminals.
Cast of Characters:	Jim Gordon, Ted Grant

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Jim Gordon has posed:
Late morning in Gotham and Jim Gordon has hardly slept. He was at the office until late after a chance run-in with Robin, and was so pumped full of coffee he ended up heading home after dawn just to get a short nap in and have a shower.

He's now in a fresh set of clothes that resemble every other thing he owns in the fashion department. Neutral colors and unremarkable. He steps into Arcade Diner for his first cup since about 4 am. He hurries one last puff from his cigarette and stuffs the remnant into an ash tray beside the door before walking inside and stepping up to the counter.

He gets his usual black coffee and wanders the diner looking for a copy of the newspaper and a place to sit.

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant is in a similar situation. However, he is still in his uniform. He pulls the cowl back to indicate he's off duty. The big man also seeks a place to sit and with his hunter's eye, spots a booth. He makes a beeline for it to spare the stools at the counter and almost runs into Jim Gordon.

"Oh, well good morning, Commissioner. Would you like to share a booth?" Big naughty boy grin. His right hand has bruised and cut knuckles.

Jim Gordon has posed:
Almost spilling his coffee when he nearly collides with Ted, Jim glances up and sees the trainer. He offers him a polite smile and a friendly nod, "If you don't mind."

He sees a messily-folded copy of the paper on a table alongside two empty cups and a half-eaten piece of lemon cake. Snatching it up, he accompanies Mr. Grant to a booth and slides into one side, shrugging off his coat. He sees the state of Ted's knuckles but doesn't comment. He's had his fair share of scrapes. If Ted wants to talk about it, he will.

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant notes Jim spotting his injured hand. He chuckles a little. "The guy ducked. I punched a streetlight... I think I gave it a concussion. I'm just doing the citizen's watch thing on Amusement Mile. There's been thugs paid to harass people, shoot guns off and I'm trying to learn why. So far they get paid at different drops. What the hell is crime coming to?"

"Used to be, you put on a uniform and punched a Nazi. that was it." He orders some coffee from a waitress who seems singularly unimpressed with the superhero. He gets that a lot. It's a love hate thing with Wildcat.

Jim Gordon has posed:
Thugs getting paid to shoot off guns and generally bother people. "Crime isn't what it used to me," he mutters as he unfolds the paper and gives the front page a quick skim. His eyes drift up to Wildcat's, "You hear about the art museum and the opera house?" He doesn't wait for an answer, assuming that Ted has more important things to do than read about art-related crime.

"Someone snatched a half dozen paintings from the museum and a week later broke into the opera house and set up an intricate scene on stage depicting scenes from some of the stolen paintings." He lets that sink in for a moment. "No one hurt." He takes a sip from his coffee, "Except the museum curator's feelings, I suppose." He puts the paper down and leans forward onto his forearms, "Are people that bored?"

Ted Grant has posed:
Wildcat ;shrugs. "Goddam theme criminals. Their gimmicks get weirder everyday. So the paintings are still missing or recovered? I might have heard something about it. I mainly stick to the 'Mile these days. I leave the other guys alone and they leave me alone. I don't play well with others." For emphasis he mutters, "Damn theme criminals."

Jim Gordon has posed:
Shaking his head in agreement with Wildcat's general feeling of 'goddamn these criminals,' Jim takes another sip of his coffee. "Paintings are still missing." He sits back, resting his back against the booth.

"Leading theory at the moment pegs someone from the museum who may be in a bad spot financially." Although in Gotham, who isn't hurting for money these days. "But why the elaborate opera staging?" He shakes his head again, "Just doesn't add up."

Ted Grant has posed:
Wildcat rubs his chin in thought. He's really more the 'hit the bad guy till he confesses' sort. "It could be a dodge. Steal the paintings, then make it LOOK like a theme crook. So you're kicking in Nigma or Cobblepot's door while they're in Metropolis. Except, they may as well be a theme criminal at that point. Setting up life size dioramas unseen takes a little skill. Did they use mannikins or cut outs or what?"

Jim Gordon has posed:
"That's more or less exactly what Robin suggested," Jim grumbles as he glances out the window at the passing cars and pedestrians. "Figures it might just be some kinda decoy to throw us off our game." He glances back at Wildcat, "They posed a dozen or so mannequins and dressed them up like the figures in the stolen paintings." He idly swirls his coffee cup against the table, "It fits with something Nigma or Cobblepot might do, but it's more harmless. At least so far."

Ted Grant has posed:
Wildcat takes a sip of coffee, then another. He snags a waitress passing by and orders the usual, which is most of the menu. Then he says, "The problem is... they might be testing their methods and nerve. Right now it's manikins. Next time it might be citizens dosed with curare, Ya know? But a theme crook... they want ya to know they did it. Any messages? Any possible calling cards they left to prove they did it? Wait I think a theme crook would have probably set up the dioramas first... then stolen the paintings. Do you know when they set up the dioramas?"

"Sorry, this isn't my thing. I'm great at escaping death traps. So far."

Jim Gordon has posed:
"The opera house has been closed for renovations for a past few weeks, so they've had a crew going in every day during the week to get work done," Jim says. "One afternoon they go home. The next morning they come in to the stage all set up. Plus the suspect left an opera ticket at the art museum when they made off with the paintings." His brows furrow as he starts going over the evidence in the back of his mind yet again, "So it would seem like they're leaving clues."

"Only thing they left at the opera house was an opera program with anti-capitalism messages scribbles in the margins."

Ted Grant has posed:
Wildcat hrms. "So, someone with a gang most likely. One person couldn't set all that crap up in one night. they'd need a truck too, costuming... I'm sure you're running down these leads. I'm just listening to myself thinking. I'll inquire of some local youths." He works his knuckles unconsciously.

"Hired labor doesn't usually know or care about the why's and how's as long as they get paid. You never know though."

Jim Gordon has posed:
Jim listens to Wildcat's theory and nods. He makes completely valid points and Gotham PD can't rule anything out, so Ted could be absolutely correct. "My guess is that you're right. It seems like a lot of work for one person." He sighs, "Based on the monetary value of the stolen paintings, they could sell for enough to make a small crew money for a couple of years if they spend wisely."

"I wouldn't ask you to waste your time with it," he says as he looks at Ted, "But if you do look around and find out anything interesting, I'd appreciate a heads up."

Ted Grant has posed:
Wildcat nods. His breakfast arrives. "I'll be sure ta keep my eyes open. Ya got nip this sort of thing in the bud. At the minimum, it's wasting manpower. At worst it might be a budding psycho. I'm now leaning towards the budding psycho. Putting together a crew for this is not something a crook in it for just the money might do. Maybe next time they do a diorama with real people and make them look like a Picasso painting. If you see Robin, tell him drop in on me and we can talk. Whichever one it is. I don't keep track."

Jim Gordon has posed:
The more he talks about the situation with others the more grim the whole thing becomes. His first impression was that it was just some pissed off museum worker. It could be still, but the more he thinks about it the more potentially sinister it becomes.

Finally, Jim nods and takes another long drink of his coffee. The heat of the liquid nearly burns his throat, but it's a nice enough distraction from working the case over in his head. He needs a vacation. Retirement (second retirement) will come soon enough. "I'll let him.. or them.. know."

Ted Grant has posed:
Wildcat takes a strip of bacon and chews it a moment. "Don't worry too much, Commissioner. Most people do not have the brains to be theme oriented crooks. They'll do something like this and then make a mistake, or their gang will jack them. Thank God not everyone has the brains to be a Riddler, or Penguin... or... the clown. But uh, drop by the gym if your want. GCPD and Fire fighters get a month's free membership and a discount... or we can just talk. It's good to talk with someone who knows what a typewriter is, or a rotary dial phone."