2738/A Searching We Will Go

A Searching We Will Go
Date of Scene:	02 August 2020
Location:	Old Pumping Station
Synopsis:	Batgirl, Red Hood and Spoiler track some shipments from a business owned by underworld interests, and take down the small drug lab they find at the destination.
Cast of Characters:	Stephanie Brown, Barbara Gordon, Jason Todd

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Stephanie Brown has posed:
The business had been protected from the rest of the Falcone holdings by layer after layer of shell corporations. It had taken substantial work to pierce them all and finally find the brick-and-mortar operation, a construction firm that had suspiciously high earnings.

Spoiler had been doing a lot of legwork on the case, most recently planting trackers on the various company vehicles, and then working with others on the team to suss out details from the patterns that emerged.

Several things stood out, but one in particular was getting attention tonight. Frequent trips to an old abandoned pumping station near the reservoir. Spoiler rolls up to the site after having viewed it from afar for awhile to make sure no one was present. "So not really sure what they are up to out here. Could be a drop off point for illicit materials? Or maybe they have some kind of operation here," she says. "They make a trip every three days or so, figured in the meantime we could give the place a good looking over for anything suspicious," she says over comms.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Barbara was really focused on this operation on not second guessing, directing, or taking over the investigation. Which to be honest is hard for Babs to not just leap down the rabbit hole of solving mysteries, especially those involving shell companies and layers of obfuscation andall.

Still she did admirably if she says so herself, instead just offering some mentoring and answering any questions Stephanie may have while providing resources like the trackers and things like that.

Enabling Stephanie's plan but really making sure it was Spoiler who did the legwork and actually put it all together. Honestly it reminded her of having to break in new Robins to a degree, but in this case no meddling by Bcruce.

Over the comms in return <<That seems like a good plan to me Spoiler. Good idea to not go in alone too since we don't know how much resistance or the nature of the operation. Based on all the intel you uncovered though they are taking some pretty elaborate steps to hide this so it must be valuable to them.>>

Batgirl reaches behind herself under her cloak and unhooks one of her O.R.A.C.L.E. drones and launches the silent thing into the air to provide overwatch intel.

Jason Todd has posed:
Red Hood crouches next to the other Bats in the shadow of the pumping station #2, next to his fellow Batlings. "Heh," he remarks from within his mask. "Just down here last week for a rave in the next station over. "If you see anyone from the Bodega Boys," a low rent Gotham gang, "Or any blue powder watch out."

As the drone takes off, Hood shakes his head. "Do miss having all the toys. So, what's the game plan?"

Stephanie Brown has posed:
The blond crimefighter, glad in purple and black, gives a hesitant nod of her head. "Right. That was my thought. Back up in case there was a lot here," she says, and totally not sharing that she mainly brought them thinking it was a big place to have to search all by herself.

Spoiler glances over to Red Hood and flashes him a small grin. "I'd ask to hear the stories but I'm afraid they'd singe my ears, knowing you," she comments to him. She looks around the place, surrounded by a rusty fence that has enough gaps where it's fallen over as to not be an impediment to much of anyone from entering. The fence does have a gate which is closed though.

After eyeing the area a few more seconds, Spoiler walks over to the gate. "Tire tracks, made after yesterday's rain and dried in the mud," she comments. She crouches down to look at one. "About the right size for the light trucks that have been coming out here." She makes her way over to the gate. "Chained shut. Lock and chain, not rusty like the rest," she says. She leaves the gate shut just bounding up and getting a hand on the top of the fence and pulling herself over to land on the other side. "Pavement in here doesn't hold the tracks very well though," she says of the tire tracks on the other side of the gate.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Batgirl smirks a little glancing over at Red Hood. She bobs her head "Right then... don't do random drugs we find left behind by any illicit raves..." she trails off "Though I imagine that isn't happening at this pumping station.. though who knows maybe old man Falcone will surprise us."

There is a pause.

"The drone is my design Red, if you need gear all you ever need to do is ask. Remember that." and yeah Barbara probably means it. She doesn't agree with all of the things Jason does but she definitely does not want to see him hurt. They do have a bit in common conceerning being hurt by the bad guys, or in this case guy, after all.

Batgirl will watch Spoiler surveil in front of her and the drone from up above in her HUD, cycling it's various modes and all. "I am pretty sure there will be guards, eyes open Spoiler." she flips it to infrared and makes a nose. "Two patrols actually, walking in opposite directions through the outside of this place, pairs of two, one should be on your left in about a minute at their current pace from behind that out building."

Babs will scale the fence and break off for cover in the shadows near the outbuilding she pointed out.

She seems to be giving Stephanie intel and letting her decide what to do with it.

Jason Todd has posed:
There's humour in Red Hood's modulated voice as he replies, "Not too ear singeing, we accidentally go high on amped up MDMA and Tim hugged a bunch of people," actually that last part was a lie, Jason had been doing the hugging but there was no way in hell he'd cop to that.

Babs get a genuine nod of appreciation. "I'll take you up on that," he says, before he adds in his usual more joking tone. "Already picked the bat armoury bare anyhow."

As to the fence? Red Hood follows Spoiler, staying a few meters back to cover her, though when she gets to the fence, he slips in beside her, pulling out his lockpicks. "Nice thing about new locks," he says as the padlock clicks open. "Easier to pick than rusty ones," he says as slips the picks away and quietly slides the chain off the gate. << What do we think, ambush those patrols? Ask one of them where they stashed the trucks? >> he asks switching to comms so his voice doesn't carry.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown pauses a moment where she's crouched, looking for more signs of the tire tracks. <<Tim? Hugging?>> she asks with a soft laugh. But the news of the patrol ends any moments of revelry on the news.

<<You're just looking to hit someone, aren't you?>> she replies into the comms. <<They come out here every three days or so, usually only stay for an hour, two tops. I suppose that could be long enough to load and unload them,>> she muses quietly. <<But if they are patroling then there's definitely something still here they want to keep hidden. Batgirl, anyway to tell if they have radios on them?>>

Spoiler moves over towards one of the old buildings. THere are several, meant for housing the gear that isn't meant to be left out in the weather, like control systems. Any would make good storage locations. So too would the numerous large pipes that run all about the facility, no longer in use. Some rusted open, others not.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Batgirl will commnet <<I have so much trouble seeing RR at a Rave.>> yeah even over comms right now and a subvocal she uses codenames. It is just ingrained. <<Hugging, that I can buy. I think he has a girlfriend now.>> shockers.

Batgirl hugs the shadows of the building and has the drone do some magic. <<Yeah they do, not on them now but I can either jam them or let us listen in.>> she .. yup she is not choosing to do either yet. Offering Spoiler options. It isn't an emergency yet anyhow.

She also flips the radio chatter over to the her comm oon low volume. She is letting Stephanie decide the course of action... but she can't help tapping it for now herself.

<<Guards mean something is definitely going on here, active. We can let Red subdue the guards now, or probaly will have too later depending on what we find?>>

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason grins in his mask. << Trust me, I saw it and I still can't picture it. But it was definitely just him hugging. And yeah, he's got a girlfriend now. The one the Gotham tabloids were talking about. >> He leaves it to Tim to tell about Rose's sideline in assassination.

<< Spoiler's call on what we want to do witht he guards, but I am fine with knocking a few heads, both because it makes sense, and yes, >> he looks over at Spoiler ,<< Because it's fun. Not like I'm the only one in the family who does some recreational head knocking. >>

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Spoiler isn't usually one to hesitate in coming to a decision. More of the leap and then look variety. <<Let's listen in then, see if we can get a bead on what they are up to here while Red gets into position. I'll make a quick pass through this building and then go join as backup.>>

She looks at the building, a rusty door that is closed and a few windows that have been closed over with plywood. Up higher a rusty grate is hanging free from the air duct it was meant to cover, swinging by it's last screw. Spoiler jumps up, grabbing the concrete wall and pulling herself up and in.

<<Anyone want to guess how much dust accumulates in an air duct in the 15 years this place has been offline. Going to need the laundry when this is done.>> Spoiler pulls herself through the air duct quietly, peering down into rooms, one after another. It takes her a minute but she says, <<No signs of anyone moving about inside, just undisturbed dust in the rooms below. On my way back out.>>

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Batgirl keeps an eye on Red while he does whatever he is going to be doing to get into position as it were, a slight smile as she watches. <<Patching in>> she patches the guards radio into the comms, lower volume though, recieve only.

Someone, not on the patrol path. <<Check in, all clear?>> to the guard pairs walking their patrol. The response from one group. <<Yeah Mike.. like always... no one knows about this place.>> and someone from the other group <<Shutup Francis we still can act professional. All clear Mike>>

On the bright side they aren't likely to have another check in with Mike for a while.

On the bad side that patrol that Babs indicated should be in view shortly is coming into view so it is either ninja stealth or ninja beating time.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason slips into the shadows near the route the guards will be coming from, no guns out, just fists tonight, though he does slip a set of brass knuckles onto each hand. He listens to the conversations that Babs patches in for them. It's almost too easy when you had all the advantages but he wasn't going to complain. Not really.

<< About a ton. Be sure to send the drycleaning bill to the boss >> Jason quips to Steph as she begins to shimmy into the vent.

Then to Babs, << Let me know when to move, I'll take them out nice and quiet. >>

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Spoiler is making her way back out of the vent about the time that Red Hood is getting ready to take the patrol down. She slips out of the vent but up onto the roof, staying crouched low and spidering forward to avoid casting any silhouette against the night sky as she's atop the low building.

<<Any chance you can chain some of that radio chatter back together to rebroadcast if we need it later for another radio check? "No one knows. Mike. No one knows." Something like that?>> she asks over her comms as she moves to the edge of the building.

Spoiler has to spot the patrol and Red Hood the old fashioned way. Her suit may have better armor thanks to Batgirl, and she's mastered a few gadgets like the grapple gun and batarangs, but otherwise much of her equipment is still the variety she's made herself and used all of this time. Upgrades need to be earned after all.

Spotting the patrol is easier than spotting Red Hood. Confound it, where is he!?

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Babs will be upgrading Stephanie's gear in time to the fancier stuff. As said, upgrades are earned. Though it is fundementally more about making sure ..well the fundementals are mastered before moving on to complicating it. If the gadget fails or the technology fritzes out you need to be absolutely sure you can take care of business.

Case in point. Red Hood. He could try to use some sort of tazer or stun baton, but instead he is going to hit them very hard in the right spot so they go down and make no noise. The electrical technology could fail. His fists probably won't. Of course he is probably doing it so he can hear the noise of his brass knuckles on skulls.

<<One on the left is five ten, one on the right is about six two. Two feet apart.>> pause <<And go>>.

I mean yes it is like cheating this way but it is both safer and there will be more punching later, or making dodging bullets right. <<Also yeah Spoiler I'll splice it while we take out the other patrol.. have eyes on them?>>

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason knew the pain of self-made gear, though he had a bigger piggy bank to draw from given the funds the League had given him for his training and weapons. Still it wasn't Bat-level and he was too proud to do more than scrounge from Bruce.

None of that matters at the moment though, he takes Babs' intel and on her word he moves. The shorter guy gets it first, a pair of boots swinging out of the shadows to kick him into his taller companion, while they were still figuring out what was going on Jason was on them. A two punches each, one to the solar plexus to knock the wind out of their lungs, then a second to the side of the head to lay them out. One, two, one two, and in that short span both guards were laid out and Jason was dragging them into the shadows he came from. << Patrol is down >>

Stephanie Brown has posed:
The youngest member of the trio eyes the dark, lit mainly by the moon above. She makes a quick jump, grabbing hold of the edge of the roof of the next building over, pulling herself up quietly. Spoiler creeps to the far edge to spy the other side of the abandoned pump station. A dot of light flares like a firefly looking for a mate. Only red and it bobs slightly as it moves forward.

<<One future cancer victim and his friend spotted,>> she says as the man takes another puff on his cigarette. Spoiler eyes a solid looking section of pipe that pass overtop of where the two men's steps look likely to take them.

She carefully makes her way onto the pipe and out overtop of the path. A small yellow metal baton in hand, the moment they are beneath her she drops down, the baton held before them and popping open as she rams it forward into both men's midsections at the same time. A pair of quick swings to the heads of the two men follow it up.

<< Patrol two down and secured,>> she says as she loops plastic cuffs around their wrists and ankles, and relieves them of their radios and weapons.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Batgirl unmelds from the darkness, honestly very near Red Hood and his takedown of the guys. She scoops the radios up and then tosses Jason a ziptie before securing the one she grabbed the last radio from.

She also makes sure to kick their guns well clear of hers.

<<Okay all trussed up for GCPD later once we figure out what the hell they are up to here. Also the clip should be ready for their next check in just in case>> it is what she was doing while the other two were taking down the patrols really.

<<I imagine Mike and anything else is going on in the main pumping building.. you know.. where you would have a rave. Plan of attack Spoiler?>>

Jason Todd has posed:
<< Not bad Blondie, you stepped your game up since last summer >> Y'know when Jason had tried to kidnap her during his whole Red Hood rampage thing. Still the compliment was about as genuine as Jason gave.

<< BG, >> Jason greets as Batgirl slips from the shadows to join him, holding in a little jump at just how quiet she could be. << Say the word, Spoiler, we're moving on your go. >>

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Spoiler pulls the two men into some overgrown bushes along the path, double checking they can't get free easily and then turning her attention to the main building. <<Two doors in, one in front and one in back. Red take the front door, Batgirl and I the back. We know there's at least a Mike in there. Stay quiet while we can, see what's going on inside, but if we can't get in quiet, we'll do... um... not quiet?>>

Spoiler heads towards the back door of the main pump building, moving quietly from shadow to shadow, until she makes it to a patch of darkness near to the door. She creeps forward then, staying low and putting an ear to the door to listen for sounds from inside. <<Music. From the 80s. Madonna? Yes, we must take these people down,>> she shares before giving a little shake of her head. She reaches up to gently try to the door, just testing if it opens but not moving it enough to be noticeable. <<Back door's unlocked.>>

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Batgirl circles around to the back of the building rapidly following Spoiler's proposed plan. She chuckles very lightly over the comms there as she moves <<I mean some of the classical music isn't too bad. My dad likes some 80s music that hasn't totally sucked.>>

With the door confirmed as not being locked Batgirl will step in closer, nodding to Spoiler to pop the door and then quickly moving forward taking in the scene. <<Breach>>

Which... is well it is understandable why a Rave was run out of one of the other old pumping stations. It has room for people. Though in this case it is a dozen or so poor workers who do not look like local Gothamites slaving away making drugs, and probably being exposed to dangerous chemicals, while Mike and another guy keep an eye on them holding a couple of machne guns. It is also pretty brightly lit.

<<Ah hell no...>> Babs mutters and just keeps with the forward momentum and just wails two batarangs at Mike one of them striking the hand holding the gun cutting him and knocking it clear and the other hitting him right square in the head stunning him.

She is trusting Red or Spoiler to take the other guy out. Trust the team.

Jason Todd has posed:
Making his way to the front door, he unlocks it swiftly and waits for the word to breech. When it comes he kicks in the door with his gun drawn. His eyes scan over the startled expressions of the workers and spots the two men with guns behind them. He doesn't have a clean shot. Babs drops Mike but the second one is raising his gun towards Jason, not caring he'll have to gun down a bunch of the workers in the process.

"Down," he shouts, leaping the table and tackling the workers as bullets fly past. Steph has an opening to take down that last gunman as he tries to get a bead on Jason.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Spoiler follows in close on the heels of Batgirl. As she goes for the nearest man, Spoiler heads across the room towards the other man, whose attention is on Red Hood.

It's a lot of distance to cover though and the man is able to raise his gun as the warning cry from Red Hood goes up. There's a soft *clink* sound as Spoiler's staff telescopes to full size and she ducks even as she swings it towards a table where a big glass container of some chemical is sitting. Once the staff is in contact she sends it flying across the room towards the second gunmen.

It hits him, shattering and splashing the contents all over him. Thankfully it's not something from Joker, nor acid. There's no bubbling or smoke, but apparently it isn't pleasant to get in one's eyes as the man cries out and rubs at his eyes with one hand while shooting wildly with the other.

Spoiler closes the distance then, a quick sprint then sliding across the floor the last few feet until she can strike the gun with her staff and end the gunfire. She pops back up, grabbing the man in a well executed judo take down and pinning him to the ground. She pulls out something from her utility belt and squirts it in the man's eyes. "Calm down. Eye wash. Keep your eyes open," she says as she administers it.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Batgirl follows closely, grabbing and pulling a couple more workers to the ground when the man fires wildly, if briefly there. then she is up when Spoiler has him down moving fast to punch down onto Mike while he is stunned knocking him out with her weighted gloves. She secures him quickly.

The workers are all speaking in cantonese and panicked. They look a little on the thin side too but not starving.

Barbara pops up and starts to talk to them in cantonese and calming them down, not a bablefish app in her ear either just her linguistics chops.

"Spoiler can you call the site into GCPD let them know four bad men and a bunch of people who will need social services that were being held by said bad men?" then she looks over to Jason "You okay Red?"

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason rolls to his feet, gun up but the guy is already blinded and out of commision. He puts the gun away and reaches down to help the workers to their feet saying in Cantonese <It's going to be okay>.

He looks over at the others then, "Fine, here. May want to get a blood sample from the blinded guy, in case it's this new stuff we're looking at, but otherwise," he glances around. "This seems like a good day's work."