15021/Should I Stay Or Should I Go

Should I Stay Or Should I Go
Date of Scene:	28 May 2023
Location:	The woods outside Gotham City
Synopsis:	Caleb is visited by Oriole, and the two discuss safe haven arrangements for the Dykstra family.
Cast of Characters:	Caleb Dykstra, Phoebe Beacon

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Caleb Dykstra has posed:
The woods outside Gotham City. And of course, nightime.

In a small pathway at the entrance of the woods, a black '71 Dodge Challenger pulls up, its matte painting a near-perfect blend against the darkness and light-covering tree foliage. From the vehicle, Caleb exits, quietly observing the path he came in from, waiting to see if he was followed. After a solid minute passes by, he proceeds further into the woods, walking some 200 yards until he comes across a clearing. The clearing, one would expect to be empty, but it's rather the opposite. There's a small hut here, more like a storage compartment. The ground has been excavated, a table set, and targets placed on the ground into a sort of improvised shooting gallery.

Caleb approaches the hut, opens it, and looks inside. For weapons he has learned to store inside ever since his tenure with the Vittorellis for the day he might need them. Weapons he has learned to restore and modify over time. Weapons he has tried and tested, and may need them now - no, that he will need them now.

He has a gut feeling he will.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    He may also have the gut feeling that he is being watched, spooky old woods outside of Gotham after all is rife with wildlife. Owls and deer, voles and moles and mice and other birds of the night.

    Including one that's typically more urban.

    she had stumbled on the hut on a different investigation, and had elected to return, with armor, to figure out just who the hut belonged to.

    She had tread up quietly until she was nearby him and to the left, and when she speaks up --

    "Little late for practice, isn't it?"

    -- Caleb would find a shadowy figure, low to the ground, cape over shoulders and hood up, showing a pair of blue lenses that glow dully in the shadows of the night.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Okay, you know that thing about adrenaline spiking up, especially when you feel like you're being watched, and the Mob could be after you, and another super has stopped by his place and threatened to arrest him? Well, it's true - it does broaden your reaction time!

And it's at this point that Oriole will find the quick draw of a gun, the barrel aiming straigh at her. How he doesn't fire unconsciously is anyone's guess - chalk it up to say, practice.

A fraction of a second later, Caleb is realizing it's one of the vigilantes, but for some reason he's not lowering the gun. "That line coming from someone who dresses up in high-tech reinforced armord to take down crime sounds either hipocritical, or cliched.", he says. "Besides, it's never too late for practice in Gotham." He pauses, "Don't tell me... The fucking Thanagarian told and brought friends." From the corner of his eye, he glances at the treelines, the branches, and the gun steady on Oriole.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Sorry to disappoint you, but I found this place jogging." Oriole replies, holding her hands up. Could she recover from a gunshot wound? Very probably. Would it SUCK?

    Definitely.

    The gray-clad vigilante with the orange highlights draws to a stand, not addressing the dig at wearing armor.

    "And mostly was curious to see who it belonged to. Caleb Dykstra, right?" she inquires, her head tilting, reading a feed and a few messages. She trusts that he's not going to shoot her.

    "Rumor says you're trying to find a way out of Gotham and retire to a more peaceful life."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Well, Oriole is right about trusting. Caleb lowers his gun, smirking. "That's one helluva sports suit."

Sarcasm! Gotta love it!

"Well, if the rumors reached Gotham's night vigil, they certainly reached the underworld, by now." He affirms, "I will be a dead man if I'm ever seen in Gotham again." His eyes shudder for a moment, like he's about to break, but he takes a deep breath, and is composure is back. "It was only a matter of time, really." He looks at Phoebe, "Excuse me wile I do something."

And he pulls out a small device from his pocket, and presses the button in it. And it can be heard, a really faint 'beep' from the trees. And another. And another.

"I guess the rumors are right", he looks back to Oriole. "And I don't intend to go down without a fight, if a big deal out of it is made."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Or someone called the hotline and left us valuable information in case you wanted help." Oriole points out, blue lenses staring intently at Caleb.

    "The bats have been fighting against Organized Crime since The Batman set foot in Gotham City." the orange-highlit vigilante states, and her head tilts at the beeping in the trees.

    "... well, that's either a Predator in the trees, or you're just not happy to see me."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"Strobe light sensors", he says, "Get near one, and blink!, you're out in the open. And ready for a lead diet."

He nods, "I do need help. Or rather, my family does." He states, "But with a Police so dirty wou can feel the stench all the way out here, there's no way you place someone on the witness protection program without the Mob figuring it out, and that is if you get to talk to someone who is not corrupt to begin with." He adds, "So, what's your angle?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I'll have to remember not to get near them then." comes the baby Bat's response, along with a slight sidelong smile to Caleb.

    "What's your plan then?" Oriole inquires, eyebrows rising up behind her domino mask as she listens patiently to Caleb. "From what the informant told us, you have a parent and a kid sibling that you need to move out of the city. There's more connections than the government for protection." the vigilante points out, and then motions to herself. "Obviously, I do not work with the mob. I do my best to protect the citizens of Gotham. I would like to help."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"I think I'd be dead right now, if you were with them", Caleb says. "And yes, I have. I'm moving them out to anywhere not here, where she can have a normal life." He sighs, "Maybe Happy Harbor, if it all plays out well." After a second, he states, "My sister and my father are the ones that matter. Not me." The finality of it, it seems to imply he doesn't value his own life - not as much as his family's, anyways. "If one day I'm not around, they must go on living."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Or I was toying with you to make an example out of you. Luckily, I'm named for a pretty little songbird and not anything too dangerous." Oriole replies in a friendly tone, and then listens to Caleb quietly.

    "So then, you're in a holding pattern until you get news from Happy Harbor?" Oriole considers, her arms crossing, leaning back on one heel as she purses her lips. "I would consider a quick back-up plan too. Even if you get to New York City or Metropolis, that puts time and space between you and the mob you've been working with here. And mob politics working on your side." she considers, thinking out loud.

    "What if we could get you to a safe house while you were waiting?"

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"I'm not holding out for anything", Caleb says. "I decided it was time to leave the moment I see some government type standing up for me during a meeting, a standing that led to a guy having his leg close to shot off." He adds, "Add stuff going sour with me about and coming out of it unscathed, and it's easy to make a pattern." He shrugs, "I may've left just in time, all jinx aside."

"I have a few ideas already, but multiple places to hide are better than one. Where?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    One can imagine the eyebrows rising up behind the vigilante's mask.

    "THere are two I have in mind. One's in China Basin. It's small, but it's very safe. The other? I have a friend in The Cauldron who can get you into her building. Locked down better than Fort Knox."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
The teenager shakes his head when China Basin is mentioned, "Nope, no extended stay in there. The chinese Mob has had some shakey dealings with Vittorelli, and there are a couple who know my face. However it goes, I don't see a happy ending." He frowns, "At The Cauldron... Who's the friend?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Someone trustworthy. She runs the building. Safe to say she has as much interest in frustrating the mob as we do." Oriole states as she rubs the back of her neck a moment, her lips pressing firmly together. "But you do not have a lot of time, Caleb. Like the Mob, it's not on either of our sides."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"I was already picking up a place - a warehouse in New York, basement and everything", he says. "Convert it into a loft, keep the workshop tools on the lower stories..." He adds, "Plus... a friend, Mike, already had something planned, as well." He shrugs, "I guess changing places every now-and-then is a possibility?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I see. Well, if you have a plan, sounds like you have everything well in hand." the young woman states, dropping her arms to the sides as she looks to Caleb, an amused expression on her face.

    "It doesn't appear you need our help at all."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"No, I don't." Wait, he doesn't? "Have everything well in hand, I mean."

Ah, there it is.

"It's gonna take weeks, probably months, to get the place in working order", he explains. "So I'll take what place I can get. Who lives there at the place you mentioned? And how tight is security?" A streak of other questions follow, regarding cameras, potential trap application...

Well, when it comes to hiding, there's no going overboard.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "You'd be there in a secure building as her guest. She manages the building. As far as I know? There's one other occupant. The building is secure that even a Bat would have trouble getting in. It's frequented by a very angry mechanic who doesn't like people who pick on less powerful people." Oriole replies. "And just checking on her notes, probably better that you not try to alter the building."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"Sounds tempting, indeed", Caleb considers. "But... wouldn't it be better if the hiding place were outside of Gotham?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "UNfortunately I don't have any access to a hiding place outside of Gotham." Oriole replies. "So your friend Mike may have better access or ideas."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"As long as my kid sister doesn't go about wrecking two hundred and fifty thousand dollars of audio recordings...", Caleb mutters under his breath. He winces, then returns to the present, "No hard feelings if I won't commit just yet? How can I reach you?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Oriole produces a thin, metalltic card. It has a press button on it.

    "It will generate a random number that matches to a generator. It'll reach me no matter where I'm at." the hooded heroine states, and taps her domino mask with her other hand.

    "No matter when you call me. It'll also work for texts."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
The teen takes the card, and nods. "Thanks. I'll be in touch, then." He begins to pull out a number of weapons from the hut, which he loads on his shoulder, as well as ammo he shoves in a duffel bag.

He steps out and, assuming Oriole is still there, he says, "Don't judge. I need this for protection."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Oriole is not there.

    And none of the lights have been activated either.

    It's like she simply disappeared into thin air as soon as his back was turned.

    Don't worry Caleb. The Bats do it to everyone.