2756/All The Glitters Is Not Stolen

All The Glitters Is Not Stolen
Date of Scene:	03 August 2020
Location:	Gotham Diamond Exchange
Synopsis:	Batwoman halts a dirty deal and Zee gets involved.
Cast of Characters:	Zatanna Zatara, Kate Kane

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Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Night. Gotham. They go together like whiskey and rye. The downtown core of the city is shiny on the outside and rotten on the inside, a fact that any of the locals surely knows. But there may be fools from overseas not quite on the up and up of the city's state of affairs, seedy and squalid elements responsible for following a fat mark. It's unfortunate that the Argentinian put such faith in the hired guards and transportation he arranged, but when money is hardly an object, maybe he thinks his people will have people take care of that.

Yukio Pasquale-Kiyoshi, a man of Spanish and fourth-generation Japanese origins, is blithely lost in business signing paperwork while his completely compromised assistant waits with discomfort for a handoff to false employees wearing gloves and responsible for wiring a handsome amount into his private account in the Caymans. His assistant and the 'helpers' aren't in the Diamond Exchange itself, but one of the private offices immediately adjacent. Another misnomer, but criminal enterprises buying up vacant office space for a hit or two and then vacating a few months later isn't unknown.

All in all, it's an ugly night that might have triggered the paranoid guards on the Exchange perimeter, not liking the loitering of vehicles or people going into one building and poor Mr. Kiyoshi doesn't know the better of being in the other.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Miss Zatara herself has certain concerns in the area. She isn't wearing any sparkling diamonds herself; this isn't a place to lock up jewelry after a show and she has no need of it. But certain meetings can only be arranged at certain times based on her working schedule.

The woman in her black slacks and boots exits form a black car, one of those ubiquitous Uber-type services around Gotham. She ducks out and gives a smile to the driver from the other side of the tinted glass. "Just on time. Thank you, Michelle." A friendly wiggle of her fingers acts as farewell; Zatanna doesn't loiter, turning for the entrance to the Diamond Exchange and taking the steps slowly if that.

Kate Kane has posed:
And of course, where there's corruption in Gotham, there's usually a Bat making an effort to track it down. In this case, Batwoman is on the roof opposite the Diamond Exchange, having gotten a tip earlier that something was about to go down there.

Which, well, wouldn't exactly be that large a deal for them, criminals robbing criminals is something else. But this Argentinian in particular has been trying to get drugs into Gotham, so putting pressure on them can cause them to back off. But there's proof needed of the exchange, which is why Kate's lurking on the roof.

She does note the form of Zatanna going into the Diamond Exchange, one eyebrow raising behind her mask as she recognizes the magician. A note is made on possible complications, as she waits for the handoff, anticipating having to spring into action sooner rather than later...

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The Argentinian's deal is bound to be something calm and professional, the way the moneyed anticipate things to be. In his bespoke suit and his polite demeanor, he must be the nicest criminal this side of the equator.

Zatanna pauses to check her pockets, anticipating already going through the discreet metal detectors and more. Her phone she palms with ease, and the raven-haired young woman shows a graceful sort of ease as she glides inside. The pause is bound to be momentary as she's shown into the building, which complicates things somewhat. Because those doing the hand-off outside are certainly concerned by seeing others. Others who aren't on the schedule, aren't aware of the deal liquidating the Argentinian of a fair chunk of his wealth. The driver clutches the wheel, waiting, humming.

Kate Kane has posed:
Batwoman murmurs, adjusting the angle on her boom-mic, listening intently to the deal as it goes down, "Oh, Yukio, you're such an idiot." She smirks a bit, making a few mental notes about the conversation she listens in on. Some business to possibly take care of later, or job out to one of the many many Robins running around out there.

That done, she does a quick glance around the building. Then she smirks, locating the driver of the car in question, chuckling a bit as... well, the car idling would be a dead giveaway... but so's a driver sitting in a car. At least, when you have thermal vision on the menu. With that, she pulls out her grappling gun, firing it to the roof of the Exchange so she can cross over and get into position...

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Yukio didn't earn his position entirely by idiocy. Probably by some intellect, a lot of connections and a lot of money. Name recognition in business is powerful, at least. He signs off on some paperwork and clearly communicates in accented English about the joys of Miami, shopping in Gotham, and how beautiful the women in Argentina are. A polite statement made to the toffs who rule the diamond roost. He's not the most exciting person, talking about the fine weather he hopes to have in weeks ahead. Hurricane season is annoying for shipping, after all.

Slower means of drugs, more mules needed overland. And no one wants to pay the Mexican cartels.

The driver's ready to go, the troublemakers inside the adjacent building speaking at length with one another. Not their contact, though the Argentinian certainly listens and impatiently checks his phone. "Are we done yet? He'll be expecting me to phone in any moment now. You're cutting this too close..."

Zatanna progresses through the doorway and into the exchange. The business of the metal detectors and being wanded by a security guard takes only so long. To a thermal scope she looks exactly like she should, an outline of heat imprinted warmly around the head and the heart. Clearly the fellow working her few things put into a dish and slid through the X-ray machine recognizes her, and she blithely glides onward. "Busy night, gentlemen?" This inquiry is made as she flicks a look to the moving numbers on the elevator, and then she waits for someone to meet her, escorting her deeper.

Kate Kane has posed:
Batwoman lands nimbly on the Diamond Exchange roof, taking care to avoid the cameras as she moves gracefully across to overlook where the 'getaway' car is parked. She pauses as her headset picks up on Zee's question to the troublemakers, as apparently an errant pigeon nudged her boom-mic a bit away from where she was listening in on more details about their operations. Nothing new, but... still, bloody pigeons!!!

And then Batwoman makes the jump off the top of the roof, using the cape to slow her fall gracefully as she lands in the shadows of an alley, not too far from the getaway car in question.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The gentlemen inside include the guards, the protective gauntlet for Yukio to run when everything is done and concluded. So far so good, and he might be prone to appreciating the lady passing ahead of him, Zatanna from behind more interesting to him than coming. The slight adjustment of his dark eyes are the only giveaway, the rest of his behaviour cultured and contained.

Batwoman's targets are in motion, the wait too long. The assistant swears in Spanish and hurries out of the office, going for the phone. Whether he ever gets his call off is really up to chance and whether his erstwhile compatriots feel like gunning him down. The sound of a chambered round in a silenced gun isn't ever loud. Has she the moment to save a life or worry less about it being gone?

The others hustle for the getaway car, unaware their driver is compromised even if he isn't. Bulletproof glass aims to protect him, though he inches forward along the curb, prepared to disengage the door locks as the criminals come out according to plan. Hopefully.

Yukio halts by the security stand, looking at his phone. "Genero isn't calling. This is irregular." And with that, hell breaks loose, Zatanna halfway to meeting another of the Exchange employees when the square tightens around the Argentinian and he curtly gestures, guns being pulled inside. Which means the guards pull them. Which means there might be some pointing at one another about bringing in something that clearly was forbidden (and just /how/?).

Kate's up.

Kate Kane has posed:
Timing is everything. Whether on a date or when you're looking to catch a group of gangsters right when they're about to enter the car. Stalking forward in the shadows, Batwoman suddenly leaps out as she hears the telltale *clunk* of the door locks disengaging on the escape vehicle.

There are many things to be said about Katherine Kane, but her timing is impeccable.

With that, she lunges not for one of the unoccupied doors, but the driver's side, opening the door with one hand and reaching in with a solid punch for the other. While he's (hopefully) dazed, she uses the punching hand to unbuckle his seatbelt, hauling him out of the vehicle. Then the boom-mic she left pointed up on the roof relays what's happening inside, and she frowns a little, "Wow, can't even handle one jewel heist? Catwoman needs to give these people tips." A smirk on her lips at that as she turns off the engine of the car, before ziplining the getaway driver so he doesn't.. well, get away.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Well, punching the door wouldn't likely have done much and the glass, even less so. The man isn't quite prepared for a fist to his face in most disturbing way, and though he's fast to react by slamming the door out when she's coming in that doesn't help much. He doesn't have the means to try and hurl her back, no leverage between sitting and standing. His luck is terrible. Two shots inside the building adjacent to the Diamond Exchange later, the last of the goons are running out and the first two coming through the lobby and into the night see a figure in black and crimson assaulting their friend. He goes for a sprawl while they scatter like ducks in front of a fox, one going inside, the other bolting it for the nearest alley.

Yeah, that's going to work well.

The standoff inside is an ugly thing waiting to happen, Yukio grimacing and curtly snapping, "Let us go. Quickly now!" No one in his little quartet seems interested in shooting a guard, though the guards certainly might consider shooting him or the others as a matter of necessity. They go squarely for the security station and hustle him through, his efforts to get through on the other phone of his assistant a dead loss. Just like a bleeding man not to answer.

Still, Zatanna breaks off from the meeting. "I'm going to reschedule. Keep your calendar open. Looks like this isn't your night, is it?" She breaks into a quick trot, sliding out through the door shut in her face. The Argentinian security agents don't much care what anyone does, and they're fully prepared to take action to defend their boss. Enter phase two, Drug Lord Is Angry.

Kate Kane has posed:
Batwoman doesn't worry about the guy that took the dive just yet, instead focusing on the three looking to run away, "Leaving so soon? I have so much /planned/!" She then laughs, a scary laugh that Bruce would probably be pretty impressed by as she fires a line towards one of the fleeing would-be jewel thieves, caushing him to sprawl forward as she runs after them.

They might be quick. But they probably aren't West Point quick, as Batwoman looks to eat the distance rapidly, cape furling out behind her in a particularly melodramatic touch. As she runs, she breaks out a Batarang, lobbing the sophisticated projectile at the two she chases into the alley. Wanting to wrap this up before the drug lord makes his exit.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The shooter is later than his companions, busy as he is taking the stairs down out of the building and hopefully evacuating with himself none the messier for an evening's fun. He isn't prepared to see the Argentinian businessman with four guards exiting the Diamond Exchange across the street or the car being driven by someone with pointy ears.

Nor a line shot out into the dark. His buddy is already hauling ass to get inside and he takes that moment of indecision to slam up against the inside wall, cursing his luck. Maybe he can shoot her. That sounds promising as he tries to take aim, not just firing randomly but at least a little strategically. He'll get a batarang for the trouble, snapping off a double retort with some degree of accuracy. But ow, metal is ow.

Turns out, though, drug lords don't like guns. They fill the air with a rough snap of gunfire to clear a path after... well, anyone who was the driver and his buddies. Hey, crime and Batwoman are on the same side, if temporarily! That's not precisely in Zatanna's wheelhouse though, as she peers around the entrance to the accursed building and hisses, "seohS, kcits ot eht dnuorg," in Italian, anyway. The end effect is soles melting into concrete, trapping the five men ahead of her to the good Gotham earth as she takes the stairs two at a time in a hasty jaunt.

Kate Kane has posed:
Batwoman is aiming to make that as temporary as possible, as she doesn't even duck the bullet, letting the body armor take it as the shooter then gets a boot to the head to accenuate the Batarang, a nice 'Bat' imprint on his forehead resulting from the impact. Though now that the guards are gone... well, she /was/ hoping to get more dirt on the drug dealer, but that'll have to wait for another time.

"Boys, I probably just saved your lives. Not that you'll be grateful about that." She shakes her head, moving out of the alley and sticking to the shadows, seeing the five other gangsters now having some trouble moving. One eyebrow arches behind her cowl, as she silently mouths, "What the...?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Criminal enterprises in this corner of the city don't appreciate the involvement of other gangs much. Don't care for competition, and definitely not impinging on their lucrative arrangements. It's not for nothing that the wise avoid the area and haunt other corners. Still, they'll learn the price of another kind of justice, one with wings and shadows, to curse about later.

Zee isn't a long-distance runner or a hell of an athlete, but she certainly can make do with a quick pace along the wall of the exchange. It puts her out of reach of a bus, even if they were present, or anything like her driver. No telling where Uber's Michelle skidded off to, but a quick check around shows no signs of retreat except on her feet. With the Argentinian posse pinned down though, she has the leisure to get out of trouble quickly. That means cutting a line back and taking shelter behind the building, assessing whether a shady byway back to a brighter street is the way to go, or if there are other needs as one must.

The nearest victim groaning about Batwoman's mistreatment brings her head turning sharply in his direction, black hair a wave of night bouncing off her shoulder and cascading over half her face. "What goes about comes about." Words to pass the distance as she assesses the dark windows and rooftops carefully. No one hopefully hiding in there, waiting to take a girl down a few pegs.

Kate Kane has posed:
Well, someone /is/ in this case, since the Argentinians haven't really done anything, so Batwoman is inclined to let them go for another day. However, when she spots Zatanna making a beeline away from the Diamond Exchange... well, that's when she decides to make a move.

Mainly by her voice sounding off nearby, "The Diamond Exchange, Zatanna? I thought you more the type for a bag of holding." With that, Batwoman appears out of the shadows, crouched on the edge of a nearby fire escape as she looks down at the magician. Her lips quirk a bit in a wry smile.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna doesn't freeze at her name, but she does start to walk away from the groaning criminals laid out. The Gotham City police will be by or not, and it's not totally her concern at the moment. She can pop a text message to the Crime Line as fast as anyone if it comes down to it. "A girl can't put all her fun in rabbits and fishnets," she offers after picking out who is speaking to her, and not immediately someone who might need to be stuck to a wall at that. Blessings come in midnight packages.

"Was I interrupting you hard at work?" The arc of her raven brow comes with that cocky half-smile, lips lifted in a warm spark. "I just didn't find anything there that wasn't flawed. You know how it goes."

Kate Kane has posed:
Batwoman actually laughs, "No, I was planning to use this idiots to get more information on that Argentinian cartel... those were the guys you stuck in front, by the way. But, well, their robbery got botched and I'll have to work on another lead to get some more info on dear ol' Yukio." With that, she drops down nimbly, her cape slowing her fall enough to have her land pretty close to Zatanna.

"Need a lift? This isn't the best part of town, even for someone with your talents." Her lips quirk in a grin, "Unless you can just woosh us to a roof, I still have some gear to collect."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"They looked a little too eager to get into a fight. I have no patience for it." Scooting in nearer to the building hems Zatanna in a bit, but it allows for them to walk side by side or stand there out of the way of traffic. She shakes her head, waiting for the bluster of the cape to settle in all its blackened drifts around Batwoman. "Imagine finding a dame like you here on a night like this. I imagine we'd have a lot less to do if they ever shut that place and moved it to Metropolis. Doesn't it seem to be asking for trouble?"

But then, doesn't the best stuff beg for trouble?" It's Gotham. Incongruous is in the blood and the bedrock. She lifts her shoulder, letting some of the tension fade. "This is supposed to be the good part, isn't it? I'm not going to look a blessing in the eye and tell it no thanks. Fair trade, ride for a ride? Which roof are we talking?"

Kate Kane has posed:
Batwoman grins, and points towards the roof of the rather nondescript office complex across the street from the Diamond Exchange, "Right up there, Zatanna." She then flashes the other woman a sly look, "Well, if I had known you were here I'd have worn something more appropriate for the occasion." Her ruby lips curve into a genuine smile at that, as she gives Zee a wry look.

"And this definitely seems like the good part to me..." Her eyes are hidden with the cowl, but her smile does get a bit wider at that.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Tease. You'll be expecting drinks and a dance in the middle of the street, and I don't think these thugs deserve it. I charge too high a price for front-row seats." Zatanna fires the line right back at the Bat-scion with a smirk turned at the last minute into a smile. She steps a bit closer, holding up her hand to point to the building. "Up there? Easy and done. You'll want to hold still so I get this right." Never doubting, always confident, the warning is purely unnecessary. "tropeleT morf ereh ot eht foor." The peculiar blend of words traipse off her tongue, and it's not quite rabbits out of a hat. Stars pulled from a hat, maybe and in a flash of gold, they're up top.

Kate Kane has posed:
Batwoman blinks a bit, "Whoa, okay, that was a trip." She gives Zatanna a wry look, "Drinks and a dance? Well, I think I'm a bit overdressed for that." With that, she gathers up her gear, most of it collapsing very neatly so she can tuck it away on her utility belt. Handy, that.

Then she straightens and steps over towards the edge of the roof, "My turn." With that, she extends a hand towards Zatanna, gesturing her over to her rather... precarious looking perch.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"It ever trouble you how freely some people move about here? They don't seem to mind the police department is a few blocks that way," Zatanna tips her head to illustrate. The golden embers fade and fall around her feet in a gentle tumble and evaporate, no traces remaining. She blows out a little to scatter the last sparkling dust, even if she knows full well it won't leave a trace on Batwoman or her. "Must be the Diamond Exchange, everything is hard, heavy, and full of fire. That's a weighty topic and never mind answering." Batwoman's work collecting her gear gets an interested look. Never hurts to know what's in there, be it a smoke grenade, telescoping pole or blue raspberry Starbursts.

With a delighted laugh, Zee crosses the rooftop. Without the tophat she has nothing to lose but the smooth fall of her hair, and that can be brushed out with a comb or a wiggle of her nose. "Your way? Oh, getting the blood pumping. I like the way you think. You sure you're not one for the stage?" A wink and her hand is extended, steady and sure.

Kate Kane has posed:
Batwoman grins, "Pretty sure, I tend to do my best work out of sight away from prying eyes." She then actually pulls Zatanna fairly close, keeping her tight against her with surprising strength as she fires the grapple gun at a convenient anchor point.

And then, she jumps! Taking Zee with her!

Fortunately, the grapple gun is rated for both Batwoman and a particularly magical passenger, so the descent is a rather calm one after the initial drop, as Batwoman gives Zee a wry grin, "However, I do suggest you hang on." She /definitely/ sounds amused now, as her red and black motorcycle can be seen below.