16962/Bad cats and Bad Men

Bad cats and Bad Men
Date of Scene:	19 January 2024
Location:	Grant's Apartment - Grant's Gym
Synopsis:	Ted and Clara play good cop, bad cop. Guess who's who!
Cast of Characters:	Clara Jennings, Ted Grant

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Clara Jennings has posed:
    Clara has had her rest after that long night. Stabbed one moment, tracking a shipment the next, and finally turning over her findings to a team of authorized specialists. The museum in Cairo will be delighted to get so many artifacts back. The Conservatory will get more support. Everyone wins!

    The young woman gets cleaned and dressed and emerges from her room, ready to face the day. Or face a book. She is reading again. Half her attention is on where she is going, but she never stops reading on her way out of the apartment and to the gym. She wonders if Tony is free and might show her a new dance. She also wonders how many questions she is going to get from Ted and Megan about what she was up to last night.

Ted Grant has posed:
Clara finds a large heavily muscled chest in her way. Not her Daddy Ted. It is Wildcat. He looks out at the early morning through the glass doors.

"Get yer kit on. I want you to show me where those goombahs jumped you. Tell me what you was checking on. I already got two scared kids running from the mob. I had enough of these guys." He walks over to the windows and waits.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    "You mean when I was shot?" Clara asks. She lowers her book slowly and blinks. Oh. He is in working gear. "It was in New York. I mean, I could take us there, if you want to fly. Hm. Come to think of it, that is also where that strange woman stabbed me. Though that was rather unrelated to the rest."

    She does not quite meet Wildcat's eyes. The uniform is a bit on the scary side, after all. "Let me change." She sighs. She really wanted to read and dance, after all. But she doubts this is going to end in her favor. Changing does not take long, though. She returns in her usual black bodysuit, complete with her rather boring black mask. She also makes a call to her Governess. She needs a drop off. This is not a single briefcase kind of scenario. She needs her max load of paper, which works out to be 62 boxes of paper. Megan being like she is, this is standing by and ready. The Conservatory is used to such requests.

    "Um, so... can we get on the roof?"

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant looks up. "What for? My bike is downstairs. You can ride behind me. Fir that matter, I can get the bike on that Hyper train dingus.Fu...dge. I hate New York." He goes to the closet and grabs a trench coat for himself and Clara's coat, removing his cowl for now. "New Yorkers think they're tough and know everything. But they got big hearts. Ever been on a motorcycle? You're in for a treat. This is vintage Mystery Man transportation!"

Clara Jennings has posed:
    "Well, as long as I can bring the paper," says Clara. "Or maybe store it here, just in case..." She looks thoughtful. Last time she went in with just a briefcase. A pause and she uses her earbud. "Ma'am, please make that pick-up in New York. Near the collector's house. I will go with a suit load until we arrive."

    The young woman takes her mask off and slips into her coat. "I have briefly been on a motorcycle," she says after a moment. "Long enough to pick up a book and throw off its rider."

    A real ride is different. She gets to wear a helmet! Cause of course she would insist on it. Besides, it is cold and she rather prefers to keep herself safe from the wind. Just not so safe against knives and bullets, for some reason.

    The ride is free of dangerous events. Other than Ted's speed and his tendency to terrify Clara with turns so tight that they leave her breathless. She also wonders if wheelies are strictly necessary. It gives Clara time to look around. She considers pulling out a book to read, but the wind would likely damage it. And if Ted noticed he would probably not approve, either. When they ride the train, though, Clara will read. If Ted allows her to. She always has a book squirreled away somewhere. It seems she is reading about film history now. "It is for my next lecture," she will explain to Daddy Ted.

    Once off the train, Clara provides directions. The collector lives in a penthouse, with his collection taking up almost as much space as all of Ted's gym. Eccentrics are, well, odd. "I am not sure he will be happy to see us," Clara ventures. "And he is the kind that requires appointments. However... if can get us to the top floor with ease. I know everything about his security systems." And there is the truck of paper waiting for her, in the very alley where she fell from the sky. Where Opal's team picked her up and saved her life.

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant grins and snaps metal claws out of his gauntlets. "Yeh. just give me a couple minutes head start. You'd use up all'a your paper ferrying my fat ass. He leaps to the side of the building and begins climbing, moving very quickly. He had a lot of practice at this. The Sandman tried giving him a grapple gum once. Ted broke his collarbone and swore off the damned things. He waits under an eave for Clara's go ahead.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    The entry way of choice is a bit tricky. After all, Wildcat is Wildcat. He cannot fit where Clara can. And she does not climb. She is brought up via a paper bird, which then is carefully strewn across the side of the building. "You know, I came in a different way last time. Security is not as good in this hallway."

    She reaches out through the glass, seizing control of notepad inside. It flutters and then sheds several pages. This is where the paper master has to concentrate. A variety off detectors can be used to protect the window, and each of these requires specific countermeasures. Here, away from the precious artifacts, though, she only finds one. It is designed to detect the sound of breaking glass and has a primitive array of sensors to detect motion through the pane, as well. Clara is murmuring something under her breath for a few seconds, and then smiles. "Night night, little one," she whispers as she finishes cutting off power in just the right over.

    It is then time to deal with the glass. It's incredibly annoying in some ways, so rather than break it, Clara just flexes yet more paper to pop it right out of its frame. Heavier limbs of paper set it gently aside. And now, well, they are free to enter.

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant slips in, far faster than his bulk should allow. He sweeps the area for closed circuit tvs and other sensors, seems satisfied and strides to ornate doors that scream MASTER BEDROOM. He slips in quietly. Then small crash. Muffled yelp.

Ted drags what he assumes is the target out of the room, down the hallway Clara pronounced clear. Once next to the open window he holds him by the throat off the floor.

"I have some urgent questions for you. You'd better have answers."

Clara Jennings has posed:
    Clara had this whole thing in her mind where she and Ted have a very reasonable conversation with this man and convince him to tell what he knows. Then Wildcat goes in and the young woman cannot help but notice that Ted is very, very close to that window when he returns.

    "Mr. Monroe! I.. oh dear.. Please answer his questions! You take such excellent care of your collection." She rather admires it, honestly. He spared no expense, and it is so very properly curated.

    Mr. Monroe's eyes may go in Clara's direction for a moment, but then back to Wildcat. He makes some kind of reply, but held as he is, it is rather cut off. Hopefully he is quite well prepared for those questions!

    "Oh, dear, I do not think Mr. Monroe is able to speak like this," notes Clara. She sounds frightened. This is all so very hasty.

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant lets Mr. Monroe down slowly. "My question is this: who besides the Conservatory know pretty much when this young lady would be here checking on your collection? Her handlers, they wouldn't give her up. Who else? Why you Mr. Monroe. So I deduce, you sold her out. I am not happy with that Mr. Monroe. Here ya are, room at the Ritz, wrapped in velvet, covered in glitz. This poor little thing just doing her job and the army of a small nation jumps her. I am letting loose of your throat. Know that I can and will turn your skull into a jigsaw puzzle with a few pieces missing if you yell." Ted releases Monroe the rest of the way. He cracks the knuckles of his free hand.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    Clara is shifting from foot to foot. She is anxious. She knows that Wildcat knows what he is doing. She is just scared because /she/ does not know what he is doing. He would not throw him.. or what was that about a puzzle? She wonders rather how that would even work. Several very unpleasant options come to mind. But he would not! But he sure looks ready to.

    "Mr. Monroe, please, I am... wait. He is the one who did it?" Now she is so conflicted. "But he takes such lovely care of that ancient Greek pottery, and the bust of Athena is truly one of my favorites." She just cannot imagine someone who cares for the same things she does would turn out bad.

    As for Mr. Monroe himself, he was rather prepared to call bullshit and see what Wildcat is really going to do about it. But Clara's chattering and fear are giving him pause. She does not appear to be acting. That makes him concerned.

    "Please! There is no need for any of this! It was all a mistake! A tragic mistake. They..." He gets quiet fast, when he remembers what they were going to do. "You need to leave!"

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant leans into Monroe. "I think what you did stinks. Now... I want to know who made the arrangements. Tell me and we'll be gone. If not we leave and I'll get the guy. It will just take longer, they'll probably figure out it was you before I get to them. I see they scared you, threatened you, scared you. I'm offering you this deal. Tell me and I will make them forget about you." He does give that window a longing stare.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    Clara continues to fret and look nervous. She really hopes that Mr. Monroe is not given flying lessons. She is so concerned that her giant mass of paper outside casually forms itself into something of a platform to catch the man. Just in case!

    "Please, Mr. Monroe. I know you would never have done it without a good reason, if you could just te-"

    "They know where my daughter is!"

    Clara pauses, looks to Wildcat, then back. Well, that is progress, right? Information!

    "It's Fingers. Marconi. Out of Gotham. Said he'd cut my little girl's fingers off. She plays piano, going to college right now in town."

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant keeps the poker face. "He has her or knows where she is? This is important. If he just knows where she is well, you did your part, no harm no foul. It's mixes some of the best elements of a Salusa Secudus analog with Firefly and a dash of Warhammer.ou might need to make other arrangements for security. I don't think the Conservatory will Peggy Paper here again. Marconi... I think I know him... did he say why he wants the little girl here?"

Clara Jennings has posed:
    "They were following her," he replies. "Supposedly that stopped, but if they still have the means." The man tries to stand with dignity and face Wildcat. It falls short, honestly, with him dressed as he is in his bedclothes and a red silk robe. Like a nerdy, wimpy Hugh Hefner, really.

    "I imagine I already know why they were after me, sir." She directs her attention to Mr. Monroe. He avoids looking back. Instead, he says, "There was something about payback. His crew got shot in that museum in Gotham. It was in the news. The little girl, the attempt to burn a museum down. They are the real deal."

    Clara nods slowly, turning back to Ted. "It makes sense. After I stopped them, the library they were interested in was searched. According to what we could learn, the FBI found financial records in there, hidden away in a book. Considering that the IRS did to Capone, I can imagine this is a troubling time."

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant gives Monroe a pat on the shoulder. "You should be safe. I can be reached at Grant's Gym in Gotham. They bother you, let me know." He turns to Clara and he might actually scare her. "Little girl, those SOBs don't know trouble, but they will."

Clara Jennings has posed:
    Mr. Monroe is usually not accosted by masked men who give him their personal contact information like that. But, honestly, what is he going to do, go to the cops? If he was lucky he'd get accessory to an attempted murder. Not to mention whatever other deals he's cut with these guys in the past. He just shuts up and nods.

    "I suspect that they think the matter is done. Or perhaps they need to be warned away from the situation. Honestly, if they simply do not threaten children and stay away from humanity's priceless heritage, I can just forget about this." Clara's priorities are always on the job. But the children add-on there is telling. "Innocent people should not be used as pawns."

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant nods and moves to the window. "I'll take that paper-vator if you don't mind. Yeah hurting kids is pretty low. There used to be rules to this stuff. Maybe I'll speak to Mr. Fingers. Let him know we're watching him."

Clara Jennings has posed:
    "Oh, right."

    The paper-vator, in this case, is a giant parachute that easily supports both of them as they descend. At first, Clara lets them fall relatively quickly, but well before it gets concerning the chute more properly expands to set them gently on the ground.

    "I hope it is the end of things, then. I would rather avoid further trouble."

    She pauses for a moment, then asks, "Can we stop for ice cream? I would love a hot fudge sundae... with bananas and nuts and cherries!" Just do not tell her governess about it...