17856/Leaky Rooftop

Leaky Rooftop
Date of Scene:	05 May 2024
Location:	GCPD Headquarters - Midtown
Synopsis:	District Attorney Dent and Batgirl meet atop GCPD headquarters. Dent has some information for the Batman and compatriots. News that may help shift the stalemate between law and crime toward the righteous side of the scale.
Cast of Characters:	Harvey Dent, Barbara Gordon

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Harvey Dent has posed:
Gotham City. It often seems to be a place of frequent darkness and perpetual gloom. Naturally the sun does come out over Gotham as with any other place, but the place does seem to carry its fair share of deeper shadows and fog shrouded nights. Tonight is no different. The rooftop of the GCPD headquarters wears a wispy shroud of fog and upon that rooftop a beam of light sprouts. At the end of that light, shining upon the thick clouds above can be seen a symbol of hope for some and a symbol of dread for others. The bat-shaped emblem blazes into the night sky and has been painted upon the low-hanging clouds.

Harvey Dent, the District Attorney of Gotham City, stands upon that rooftop. He does not hide. He has not shrank himself into the shadows to surprise anyone who may respond to the shining light. He stands next to the immense searchlight with his hands planted upon his hips. He watches that symbol practically painted on the sky. He does not lack for patience. There is no shuffling about or pacing. Instead there is a servant of the people of Gotham, awaiting the possible arrival of a... colleague, of a sense.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Gotham's skyline tonight seems to hold that typical Noir style to it, a style that is admittedly an attraction to what tourist industry the city does hold. It's infamous for nights like this, and many of its residents are quite accustomed to it.

One feature, in the dark of the night sky, is the blinking running lights of one of the city's famous airships. The 'Gordon Green energy Blimp' hovers across the city skyline from where Harvey views the pylon of light piercing the darkness. The blimp seems to be getting closer to the GCPD HQ, clearly on a city course that will lead it to its next power station, where the GGE Blimp notoriously transfers solar energy from the hours it spends above the clouds, soaking up the rays.

The Blimp might even be a draw for Harvey to watchn, as he waits...

The wait takes just long enough for the man to possibly zone out just a little, until there is a sudden sound of a rustling, and the tickling to the back of his neck that he is not alone.

Because he isn't anymore.

"Hope I'll suffice." A female voice says in a armored Bat-suit, a gold and black cape sweeping out to her left side, along with a mane of red locks pouring out the back of her Bat-eared masked cowl.

"The big guy is pre-occupied for now..." The feminine intoned voice explains, standing about fifteen feet away in the open, bathed in shadow, but not enough to entirely conceal her, or the large yellow bat symbol emblazoned across her armored chest.

Harvey Dent has posed:
The tingle up his spine and the prickle of the tiny hairs along his neck results in Harvey turning about quickly to both find the source of the voice and address it.

"The big guy, huh?" Harvey spends only a brief moment searching the shadows, likely trying to determine whether or not more of the nocturnal crimefighters of Gotham City were about. When his brief visual search finds nothing but more shadows - which isn't entirely reassuring - his focus returns to the flame-haired Bat.

"You know who I am. I know how you are. We're working toward a common goal," he begins. Dent doesn't step toward Batgirl, but does focus his attention upon her. The light of the spotlight continues to faintly illuminate the rooftop with the pollution of its pillar of light. "I've got news for you. Information that you might be interested in. Information that the GCPD has. The problem is that the GCPD has the information. Which means it's liable to amount to nothing."

Harvey falls into silence while he watches Batgirl. He seems expectant, likely waiting for her to either show interest or urge him to speak further. He does finally slip his hands away from his hips. His suit jacket falls back into place.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
The only motion from Batgirl is the movement of her autumnal locks across her shoulder to the side, along with her cape moving just as much to the wind across the rooftop. With her gloved hands at her sides, her eyes remain on Harvey with an unwavering attention.

"The GCPD isn't terribly fond of us when we take what is theirs without asking." Batgirl's voice replies, soft and smooth, quiet... but still audible over the background ambience of the city's beating heart beyond, and that constant underlying buzzing sound eminating from the massive spotlight.

"That hasn't stopped us from using their information before, however, when needs be. I'm guessing that you think whatever this is, is such a moment of need?" She asks him.

Depending on Harvey's perception, he may notice movement in the sky above the rooftop, small drones, black, bat-shaped, near-silent in their sweeping flight pattern overhead.

Harvey Dent has posed:
The overhead presence of small, dark drones doesn't seem to register with Dent. He remains focused on Batgirl and their exchange. Gotham City itself handles much of his not hearing the quiet hum of the electronics hovering above.

"I'm not with the GCPD," Harvey answers regarding the matter of the GCPD not being fond of Batman and his people intervening. Then Harvey goes on to explain precisely why he's mentioning the matter at all, "The GCPD plans to bust in on the shipment after they get it off the ship. That's too late," Harvey offers his own opinion regarding the GCPD's strategy, "a simple mistake that costs a couple of minutes could unravel their whole plan."

Dent takes a moment to glance off into the distance. Which seems to be when he finally recognizes that feeling of being watched or, at least, the presence of something. He glances up toward the sky and spies the silhouetted shapes against the clouds. When he looks down again to Batgirl, there's a stern look cast toward one of the Caped Crusaders.

"I think it's smarter not to let them get the shipment off the ship. Disable the ship and make sure the cargo stays right where it is. We can't let this slip through our fingers. The more pressure we can pile onto Maroni? The more likely he is to make a deal and give up the people he works with."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
The small flock of drones spread out in to a perimeter pattern that keeps them off to the sides of the rooftop, and not flying directly over it, as they are in some manner of a holding pattern formation, simply surveilling.

"Sieging a ship is a challenging task." Batgirl replies, her cape gently swaying around her legs, the tall yellow boots standing out in the contrast of the shadows around the woman's form. "A lot of close quarters combat is involved. They're likely to be well armed, and eager to pull triggers on their arsenal of small arms weapons..."

All of this, harvey is likely aware of, and with Batgirl saying it, she lets it linger for just a second before she continues.

"We've done similar sieges before, however... But it can be an ideal setup for a dangerous trap."

Batgirl's masked face glances to the east toward the eastern docks off on the horizon of the city at night.

She looks back toward Harvey, "We have to know that what we're going for on the ship, its contents, are worth the risk." She quietly adds, the sound of GCPD sirens to the south echoing through the canyons of the city, and up toward the rooftop that they occupy together.

Harvey Dent has posed:
Harvey's focused. Judging by the slight wrinkle lines appearing across his forehead. He nods once, his jaw set. He seems to be taking with Batgirl says quite seriously. That nod also seems to indicate that he understands the risks involved for Batman and his people. That same understanding is given a voice however as he explains further, "Drugs. That's the cargo. Enough drugs to supply the streets for at least a couple months. Enough to put a lot of people away for a long, long time. Even better if everyone starts pointing fingers at each other."

Harvey pauses a moment to survey the rooftop. It's likely that he's making absolutely certain that there wasn't anyone else around, dropping eaves. A moment later and his attention turns back to the masked vigilante, "I'm afraid the corruption in the GCPD might come into play. A little 'oops, two minutes too late' and the shipment's whisked away and the right people's hands are greased. Even if the smugglers know the GCPD's coming? That means they'll be caught off guard if you hit it before they've even began unloading, right?" He's no tactician or nocturnal crimefighter, so the question at the end of his statement is likely genuine.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Harvey's words fallen upon a statue-like visage of Batgirl. She continues to simply stand there in the dimly lit corner of the roof, her green eyes peering out from behind her half-mask covered face. She seems to be contemplating what he's saying, or at least waiting for him to say his peace on everything related to the subject.

She does glance to the east again, before bouncing her eyes back over to his. "We'll look in to it. If the situation seems plausible for what you're suggesting, then we will see about enacting such an idea. But, if it seems far too much like a setup... the safety of our own people supersedes whatever cargo is in that ship's hold. Obviously we don't want the streets flooded with a fresh shipment of the worst vices known to man, but... what we do is never done lightly."

With a rumble of distant Spring thunder rolling across the western sky, Batgirl awaits the sound to diminish in to a reverberation that settles across the city around them. "Any other helpful information you may have on the matter would be appreciated. Otherwise... well, we'll see what we can do." She states in a calm tone of her feminine voice, the voice itself contrasted by the rather impressive armor she's adorned within.

Harvey Dent has posed:
"I understand," Harvey answers with a firm, resolute nod of his head. Then comes an assurance, "If you think I am the trap? That I'm setting you up?" Harvey offers a slight shake of his head and a shrug of his shoulders. "We're the same team, coming from different directions. I'm just trying to meet in the middle to make some real change."

Then Harvey shifts away, turning his line of sight away from Batgirl. He looks out toward the south and the sound of sirens there. With his back turned he adds, "If you mean the smugglers have set a trap? I can't say one way or another. If it's too dangerous for your people? Call it off. I know this is dangerous and this is what you people do."

Then Harvey turns back toward Batgirl.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
The response that the man provides her, simply results in the armored woman staring back at him in silence. Her cape, and long red hair, continues to gently wave against her form, her eyes remain locked upon his face as he stands near that storied spotlight. The sound of the sirens in the southern distance grow a bit louder as they seem to be returning to this very building, likely just a block away down on the street.

"I trust you, Dent." Batgirl says to his back when he turns around. "I don't trust the people who may wish to harm you." She adds.

When he turns around, she's gone. No longer in that shadowy corner of the rooftop, but above him he'll hear a rustle of fabric, and should he look up, he'll see a silhouette of a flying form making distance from the building, flanked on all sides by that flock of black bat-drones, while another flicker of lightning dances across the western sky, and a rumble of thunder dances across the city.

Harvey Dent has posed:
"I don't trust them either," Harvey answers with a grin as he turns back toward Batgirl.

The rooftop is deserted save for his own presence. He exhales a long sight as his gaze turns away from the building, seeking out the presence of the crimefighter. He sniffs once while he watches the grand exit of one of the Batman's cohorts. He watches a little longer, before reaching out to shut off the spotlight.

Even if none of the city's nocturnal crusaders are out battling crime tonight? The dregs of the criminal underworld have been put on notice. The paranoia will run rife among them tonight.

That's enough for Harvey Dent.

For now.