1134/Finding the Prodigal Son

Finding the Prodigal Son
Date of Scene:	13 April 2020
Location:	Wayne Tower
Synopsis:	Carrie catches up with Damian and chats about the Titans, and his newest project.
Cast of Characters:	Carrie Kelley, Damian Wayne

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Carrie Kelley has posed:
There. This was the proper moment. She'd seen him a few other times at the Tower but had been otherwise indesposed and unable to follow the lead as to where Damian was. She didn't want to bother him at school--That was his time to be normal. She wouldn't risk that for him. The island was an option but she also wanted to give him some privacy. If it had gone on much longer she was going to go out there regardless.

Now though, he was within grasp, and she makes haste to head to the tower intending to follow up on how he was doing. And *what* he was doing. A quick text is fired off to his phone even as she gets into the elevator to head to the level she presumes him on./

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Damian had been keeping his distance from the rest of the family, in more than one way. After the events of Bruce's birthday, he had been determined to carve his own path through the Family, thus Red X was born.

  He approached Lucius Fox himself, and proposed a certain arrangement with the man. Unencumbered development of a new platform, codenamed: Red X. This was an entirely different way of thinking than Batman had been developed. Red X was to be a new technological leap forward, and together with Sam, they would make that leap in fighting crime.

  "Titanium tri-weave will work, but we want something better. The interface needs to work with the lattice for the adaptive camouflage. Tungsten-Titanium will be a better conductor, and the weight gain can be negated. When you wear it, you would not be able to tell." Damian had been standing inside the much lesser known white labspace in Wayne Enterprises known as Applied Sciences. A honorable man was with him, Lucius Fox, and in front of them was a holo-display, an armor never seen before, but sized for Damian himself.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
It was a space Carrie knew of at least enough to have the password to that particular level. The elevator opens to allow her to see the pair already there along with the project on hand. An eyebrow lifts as she strides closer not making any attempt to hide her approach. It's only once she comes up next to Damian that she clears her throat lightly.

"Good to see you've been busy," she remarks with a wry grin, and then a tip of her head toward Julian Fox. "Mr. Fox. Long time no see. I hope you're doing well?" There's another pause before she settles her gaze on Damian.

"You too, Damian? I... I'm sorry I didn't follow up quickly with you. I just..." A deep breath is exhaled and she shakes her head lightly. "Stuck in my own head a bit."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Damian's project remains on display until Carrie clears her throat, to which the armor mock up is changed to a cross section of the woven metal and fiber. "Kelley." He says turning around to meet her face. "Yes, I have. I could not wait any longer for Father to make up his mind. So I am taking it upon myself."

  Those cold green eyes of his pierced through the air, cool and calculated. "So, he will have to deal with an unknown variable, instead of a partner."

  A helmet raises from the table, black with a bare metal skull, sans jaw. Over the front, an X was carved, and glowing a haunting shade of red and the eyes a sickly white glow.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley actually allows herself a little smile at that with a dip of her head in agreement. "I did warn him to step up or this would happen. In some small way he wants you to do this... To prove that you are dedicated." She sighs faintly, shaking her head. There really was nothing else she could say there. So her eyes glance over the display looking at the materials thoughtfully.

"This looks good," she admits with a nod of approval when the helmet rises up to be on display. "So, what's your code name? I'm changing my own. Sparrow."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     "I will give you one guess." Replies Damian, crossing to the helmet and picking it up. "You would think over a decade of training, leading a faction of a multi-national syndicate would have been enough." He was pissed off, more so that his father was parroting the same thing that Colette had. That he had not earned his way. He wasn't going to prove himself to anyone. Not after the life he lived already.

  "Simply put, I am no longer someone else's pawn."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
"I led an army before coming here. We mobilized the members of a gang whose leader we had taken down. I saw to their training, their deployment. I was their General," Carrie explains while momentarily staring off into space as she recalls the past. Her eyes shut with a wan smile. "Then I came here. I know by accident, but things were different. We weren't waging the same war we were there. I relaxed a bit too much I think."

Glancing back toward Damian she grins faintly at the image he cuts. "Good. I think we're both beyond that. Thank you for reminding me." Grinning with amusement she looks him over again. "Red X?" She guesses after a moment of thought. "We are rather stuck on color and bird names unfortunately."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Damian crosses his arms, looking to the helmet as she explains herself. "I am sure you did not have to jump through as many hoops as I. As if I was a circus tiger." The resentment in the statement is palpable. Damian held much anger in his heart right now, for various different reasons.

  "Red X indeed." He comments, picking up the helmet and regarding it. "Between Morgan and I, we will make the Titans full in where the Justice League has faltered."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
"I did in many ways, but it was different. He was different. I often times have to remind myself of that," Carrie admits with a nod. "He was much older and less inclined to hide his plans from me. It makes a world of difference when you know what your exact expectations *are* in the first place." She takes a step to the side to circle around looking at the schematics as well as Damian while he regards the helmet. "Morgan?" The name only takes a moment to click into place with a soft 'ah' of understanding. "There are other Titans as well though, remember. You're a newcomer--A skilled and knowledgeable one--But they're used to following a different leader. You'g going to have to find a way to make them want to follow your lead, too. That's sometimes the hardest part of leading. It's a fine line between being competant and being someone that inspires others." A faint smile creeps over her. "If you need help as well... I know I'm a bit older than most, but this is something I'd like to see succeed. The world needs people they can count on."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     "The door will be free to people to use." Damian says quite matter of factly. "I will not force anyone to stay. Especially if they are found wanting."

  "You...would probably be someone I could trust. After weeks of not coming back, who approached me first?" The answer: Carrie. And that spoke volumes to the young man.

  "As far as the rest go, they can take it or leave it. But right now, there's nothing, no one to fill the void that the Titans and the Justice League left."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
"This is true," Carrie has to agree with a solemn nod as she comes around back to her prior position at last. It's here she pauses to smile with a tired expression, yet she none the less is smiling. "How are you doing anyway? All in all? I see this project is coming along nicely. But what about *you*?" A simple question, yet perhaps not so simple.

"He probably wouldn't be upset if you came back to the Penthouse. It's not the first time someone's run off then returned. You could still continue with this as well."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     "Does he want me to come back?" He asks, plain and simple. "I have never even talked with him without someone else there."

  "I wanted to meet him. To know him. But does he even know I am there? His son, his flesh and blood." Yeah, there's issues there that do not seem to be resolved. "Does he know anything about me?"

  Meanwhile, he approaches the holo display, showing that cross section. "So, with Red X he will get his wish." He comments, before with a sharp gesture, he activates the helmet, making it appear to disappear.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley for once can't answer that. She thought he would want him there, but he was right: He'd shown precious little interest in his son. Even with all his talk of knowing so much. All she can do is nod in understanding then. "I honestly wish I knew the answer there. He's grown less like the man I knew, and more distant. I'm sure he does in some way, but as you saw, that wasn't the first time I tried to talk to him about it."

Another nod, and more assured she adds, "Then this is what it'll be. Just remember, even if he's being distant there are other members of the family who would gladly help you too. I'm sorry it's happening this way, Damian, but I understand why it needs to happen as well."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     "Exactly." He comments, looking through the helmet, actively camouflaged. "Oh? Who is that then? So far it was you that gave a damn. Batgirl has her head up her ass over how capable she is, Nightwing is just as distant as Batman. Orphan? She does not even talk, I think." Yeah, there's much angst there.

  "So, as I seem to be the invisible one." He puts the helmet on himself, removing his head from view. "Then I may as well make it literal." He adds, his voice masked and modulated.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley smiles faintly at that though she has to nod. "Stephanie Brown," she surmizes. "New, still rough around the edges, but very willing to help to prove herself if asked. Ted Grant. Old trainer from long ago. He's trained a lot of us outside of the Boss. Check him out if you need as well. Bette Kane... One of your fathers' cousins. Also new, but also willing to help. She's freshly back from school and unaware of the current situation. Even Cassandra, yes. She's mute but she reads body language like a savant."

Everyone is lain out that may be a potential ally that she offers to him. "I know these aren't the full 'family' you may have already met and dealt with, but they are extensions of it and resources to reach out for if you need. The Birds of Prey as well are a source of information. I'm one of their current members so I can also be tapped for that information even if Oracle is otherwise unavailable."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Damian's head comes back into view, powering down the helmet and removing it. "I will keep that in mind." He comments, still apprehensive about the rest of them. "But as of now, I just recognize you." Damian adds, looking to Carrie. "Anyway." He says. "There's much more to do here, before I get out."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley nods in understanding. "All right. I understand." Then she steps forward and though it may be awkward, gives him a hug. Just a quick one. There's no hair ruffling or anything else going on with it. "Take care and stay in touch. I'll be around."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Damian had never been hugged before. Physical affection was a foreign concept for the boy. Where the arms wrapped around him, he flinched, which spoke worlds about his history. It was the kind of reaction that a dog would have after trauma.

  A small grunt rings from his voice, as he tries to understand what is going on.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley blinks in surprise at that only for her grin to soften with a difficult to read expression. "You're doing good, Damian. I'm looking forward to seeing what else you come up with. Take care." She offers as she finally heads off to the elevator up. She wouldn't tease him too bad about the hug, but it was clear he needed some positive reinforcement now and then. She'd work on that.