3244/Hunting The Bat: Part 1: Mistaken Identities

Hunting The Bat: Part 1: Mistaken Identities
Date of Scene:	05 September 2020
Location:	The Narrows - Miagani Island
Synopsis:	X-23 attempts to track down Batman, but finds Red Hood instead. The two meet for the first time, and the resulting meeting leaves both of them reconsidering different viewpoints in their lives.
Cast of Characters:	Laura Kinney, Jason Todd

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Laura Kinney has posed:
It was only last evening that Batman had managed to pretty much sneak up on her, and the other Outsiders in their own base. Granted, he'd given them his blessing by gift of a rather top-of-the-line stealth jet to use on team missions, but there was an unspoken, or perhaps unintended message that Laura had took from that visit.

Batman had stated it was his personal challenge to overcome the abilities some of the Outsiders, like her, had. Such as masking his scent. Therefore, it was only logical to her that she, in turn, should try and track down the Batman while not having his scent, to see if she could sneak up on him.

She had not bothered to ask Tim about the Batman, likely it wouldn't have done much good anyways. But this was -her- mission that she'd assigned herself. She needed to see it done.

Dressed a full black combat suit from head to toe, her eyes covered with a Bat-approved domino mask, she is crouched low, over looking the warehouse district and having positioned herself to where the moonlight provided her ample viewing with the most illumination to see silouettes of figures on rooftops. Batman had been, afterall, reported in various news articles to have somewhat regular activity here, patrolling for crime and taking down various thugs. It was as good a starting point as any.

Jason Todd has posed:
Laura's intel was mostly correct, Batman often came down to the warehouses on the edge of the Narrows to take out smugglers and thugs, but it wasn't /always/ Batman who came. Tonight it was Red Hood, breaking protocol by being out solo, checking out the warehouses.

There's the sound of a grapple line being is fired to the rooftop of one of the warehouses, and a silhouette rises to the roof. It moves quickly, so as not to be seen by the guard patrolling around the roof. After two quick strikes and the guard is down and the figure moves to the front of the warehouse and crouches, giving no sign that he's aware he's being watched.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura notices the movement, her extra-sharp eyes another enhanced sense; sure, her sense of smell is one she certainly relies on. But it's not the only one. Determination sets into her features, and she makes a quick mental note of the warehouse in question, and then she's moving towards it. She has no gliders, no zipline, or grappling gun. She only has herself. But, for Laura, that's more than enough.

She runs to the side of the building she knows to have the ladder on, and begins to slide quickly down it with practice, and without caution. Landing smoothly, she begins to run the distance, traversing the span of space quickly, effortlessly until she gets to her target location.

She pauses to listen, then, her claws come out, and she's moving up the side of the warehouse carefully, and as quietly as she can, peeking over the edge when she reaches the rooftop. Her head peeks out to ascertain if the figure is still up on the roof, and might see her. When she's certain it's not, she moves towards the fallen guard. She does not have to pause to feel for his life - she can hear his heartbeat.

She pauses to sniff the air, keeping low, and moves the logical path towards the way inside.

Jason Todd has posed:
The figure is still there, crouched, motionless, he might have been a statue if not for the too-steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Wind gusts off the water bringing his scent with it, whiskey, new leather, gun oil, cordite and the hint of human perspiration.

"Where the hell are these guys," the figure says, the voice muffled by the full helmet he wears. He rolls his neck and his heartbeat picks up a little. Still no sign Laura has been detected.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura scowls as she both sees, and scents the various smells. It is /not/ the Batman.

Still, she recognizes the figure from the files now that she is closer. He is one of Tim's allies. The Red Hood. Thus, likely her ally also. And - also, likely, ... worth attempting to sneak up on. His scent is not masked, which makes it less of a challenge. But, not entirely worthless. She knows he's well trained. And it opens other opportunities.

She moves with years of grueling training, quietly, up to the Red Hood, and only when she is just out of striking distance does she announce, "Directly below us," answers an unmuffled voice, though quiet. "I can hear them talking."

Jason Todd has posed:
The Red Hood didn't hear Laura sneak up on him but when she speaks, his training shows through, turning quickly weapons being drawn so quickly they seem to appear in his hands as if by magic. "Hey," he greets both barrels aimed at Laura. "Who the hell are you?" to his credit he's keeping his voice low as well not giving away their position.

Laura Kinney has posed:
*SNIKT* The sound is multiplied and in stereo, as she too, produces weapons as if by magic. Because her weapons, twin claws each, pop out of the back of her hands in response to Red Hood's brandishing of his own tools of beatdown.

"X-23," is her response. Yet, she does not attack him, instead, she asks a simple question, "Do you wish to drop in on them?" Granted, that might seem improbable, given the steel rooftop between them, and the floor below them.

Her features remain impassive, as she waits for his response.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason's body language suggests surprise even if his full mask is featureless. "Nice," he says regarding the claws even as his guns stay in place. Though the name, that much is familiar, it's on one of the doors at the Roost. One down the hall from the one Tim had 'gifted' him.

"You're one of Red Robin's people," he says guns lowering. 'And yeah, I want to drop in on them."

Laura Kinney has posed:
There is a sharp nod to both Red Hood's agreeance that he does want to go down, and his assessment of who X-23 is.

Now, a single claw pops out of her boot. She shoves her foot down into the steel, and it slices through effortlessly like she was carving sushi with an Usuba knife. She draws her leg backwards, steps, carves another line, steps and turns ninety degrees again, then repeats one final time.

She looks up at Hood, meaningfully. "Go."

And, a fourth side is sliced back to adjoin with the first. And with that, the ceiling caves in, a perfectly human-sized squared hole for them to jump through, and in the next moment or two there's a loud crash as the section of roof lands in the midst of the large conference table that a bunch of Jason's targets, his 'guys' are sitting around having a meeting about their profits, and next steps to take.

Jason Todd has posed:
Red Hood's helmet cocks to the side. "Handy," he says at the claw made hole in the roof. A gun is slipped away, as he reaches into his jacket for a grenade. Flashbang, SWAT issue. He tosses it down the hole right into the middle of the little quarterly meeting down below waits for it to pop before he jumps in after it, crashing down on one of the thugs with the sound of the other man's bones breaking as he rolls away, coming up with his pistol ready and pumps a round into another thug's knee, while the men at the table are still reeling from the flashbang. However, another knot of guys, come running from the back of the warehouse, weapons in hand.

Laura Kinney has posed:
X-23 waits a few beats, until Hood is cleared, then she drops down too, hand-claws still brandished. One goon raises an automatic rifle at Hood, and the gun is clawed in half before he meets Laura's foot in a roundhouse kick.

She then turns to face the knot of guys coming running from the back of the warehouse, claws brandished. She looks damn well ready for a fight, and it's then that the bullets start to fly. One, two, three of the shots peg X-23; once in the thigh, once in the chest, the last in the shoulder. Briefly, the girl is buffeted back by the force of the bullets, but then she just looks back at the group. "That was a mistake," she says, gritting her teeth. And, she charges them. Head on. Fearlessly.

Jason Todd has posed:
Red Hood puts a bullet in another knee and then crushes the hand holding a gun under his boot kicking the pistol across the floor of the warehouse. That's when he hears the other men coming and the bullets start to fly, he ducks low using the table for cover, watching as Laura is hit once, twice, and then three times. Dread floods through him. Fuck. Did he just get he killed, but she keeps standing and more than that rushes the men who shot her.

"Holy shit," Red Hood exclaims even as he stands drawing his second gun and fires them both. Not exactly providing covering fire but keeping the men herded close together as Laura rushes in on them.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura's claws sink into one man's shoulder, skewering him like a shish-ka-bob, her claw retract and she twists, kicking at another's knee. Her footclaw pops out and skewers the kneekap through the front and she slams her palm into his jaw to send him flying back.

"Do not worry about me," X-23 states, directly to Hood, turning to her next few opponents who are now starting to realize they may be in over their heads. "Finish your mission."

Jason Todd has posed:
Red Hood keeps firing until his guns click dry, he pops the mags and swaps in fresh ones. "On it," he calls to X-23, moving to the crates stacked up on one side of the warehouse, shooting another goon in the knee as he does.

Once at the boxes a pistol goes away and he cracks one open pushing aside the coffee grounds to reveal tightly packed bricks of white powder. "Jackpot," he says, tossing a device inside the crate and closing the lid. He moves to another box, opening it, and does the same, before spotting a duffle bag, and grabbing it ip and slinging it on his back.

"Done here. Finished with those guys yet?" he asks as he starts walking backwards towards the warehouse door, both guns out again, watching for anyone still standing and ready to make a move.

Laura Kinney has posed:
"Yes," states Laura. The rest of the guys are down on the ground, most are bleeding and in sufficient enough pain, or knocked out and aren't going anywhere. Most have stab wounds in their extremeties, and often at the joints or tendons if one is being particularly observant; domoinant arm shoulders, and knees seem to be favored.

She kicks a pistol out of one still awake goon's hand and gives him a booted foot to the temple to put him out. She eyes the duffle bag curiously, but to her credit she does not ask a question about it.

"We should leave, then, if your business is concluded."

Jason Todd has posed:
"We should," Red Hood agrees as he steps out of the warehouse and a pistol goes away again, and he draws his grapple gun, "Want a lift?" he asks, holding out an arm so he can grab hold of Laura and grapple to the neighbouring warehouse.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura answers by moving over to Jason and wrapping her arms tightly around him; there's some hidden strength in that small frame. More than enough needed to hang on. A silent nod indicates to him that she's ready.

Once they reach the rooftop of that neighboring warehouse, she looks over to him. "I see why you are an ally of Red Robin's. Though, he does not like firearms. You seem especially fond of them," she observes, casually.

The three areas where she got shot? Bloody, around the bullet holes, but what flesh can be seen is whole, and unmarred as if such things never happened.

Jason Todd has posed:
Once Laura's got him Jason wraps his own arm around her and off they go to the rooftop, landing softly and unhooking the grapple.

On the roof he nods, "Yeah, the whole family is squeamish about guns except for Batwoman," he says, putting his drawn pistol away along with the grapple gun. "They work for me better than hitting guys with sticks."

He cocks his head at the place where her wounds should be. "Damn and I thought I healed fast, a mutant or a meta or something?" he asks.

Laura Kinney has posed:
"Mutant," Laura agrees, without missing a beat. Straight, and to the point, this one. She considers Jason for a few long moments, then, "As I have told others I work with, my healing factor is not only able to sustain me in battle, but it also provides an added intimidation factor against my opponents. When they lose the initiative, they have already lost the battle."

Jason Todd has posed:
For what it's worth Red Hood seems to jive with the straight to the point thing, he nods, "Cool," he remarks. "And yeah, I can see that, they just about shit themselves when they shot you and you still kept coming. It was over right then they just hadn't figured it out. The claws are cool too, by the way. What are they made of? I don't think I've seen anything cut through steel like that."

Laura Kinney has posed:
"It is unlikely that you will see it again," X-23 tells Red Hood, practically. "My claws are coated in adamantium. It is roughly a million dollars a pound, if you are even lucky enough to find it available. And then you need an adequate lab to be able to melt and smith it, which very few exist. Its properties allow it to cut through nearly any other metal." Nearly. But not all. That causes her to frown, the memory of that particular instance still an unplesant and frustrating memory.

Jason Todd has posed:
Remembering something, Red Hood pulls a remote from his pocket and presses the button on it. There's a faint whoosh rapid incineration as the two devices detonate setting the crates of drugs ablaze. Red Hood tucks away his remote.

"Huh," Red Hood says of the claws. "I'd heard of adamantium, but I thought it was a myth," he says before nodding towards the far end of the warehouse roof. Time to be moving. As they go he talks, "So how did you end up with what? A couple mil of adamantium in you?"

Laura Kinney has posed:
X-23 looks to Red Hood, momentarily as if questioning something in her own mind. However, the pause doesn't last long. "I was created to be a weapon. The adamantium was an investment on a return for the premiere shadow government and open contract assassin in the world," she tells him, just as she's told the others of the Outsiders. "I broke free of them last year, and have been forging my own path since."

Jason Todd has posed:
Red Hood leads them over the warehouses and on for a couple of blocks before he really returns to speaking but when he does they're situated on top of a ruined project tower with a view of the Narrows spreading out in every direction. "Got it, they shell out for the blades, you kill who they want to kill," he says, having his own moment of consideration as he studies Laura through the lenses of his helmet. "I can relate. I was trained to be a killer too and escaped, sort of," he says. "Not sure if I'm forging my own path though, mostly just falling back into old habits." far enough away from the fight, he takes a seat on a rusted out air conditioning unit to take a load off.

Laura Kinney has posed:
X-23 follows, and then when Red Hood takes a seat, so does she, opposite him. She won't be finding Batman, tonight she's long-since realized. It will be a task for another evening. "No," she corrects him, "I was created to be a weapon, the adamantium was only given to me after they attempted to kill me in order to trigger my mutation. Once my healing factor was activated, I was given the metal. But I was trained from birth to be a weapon. I was never given a choice, or an agreement."

She looks him, dead-eye, while she says this. Then, adds, tone more - human, but only slightly so, "I have a mentor. He is teaching me Bushido. Perhaps it is something you should look into as well. If you do not wish to be a killer." Clearly leaving that particular choice up to the Hood, and no judgement in her tone at all. "Or even if you do. There are tenents in Bushido that allow for killing, but by pracitcing it you learn why you are killing. I believe it will help me learn who I am."

Jason Todd has posed:
Reaching back behind his head to the base of his skull he triggers the release for the helmet and pulls it off, revealing a human face in a domino mask of a similar sort to the high-tech kind Red Robin wears, though his is in blood red.

"Shit. Created huh? So you're a clone or like a test-tube baby or something?" he asks. "You should meet Robin," there's something in his tone that suggests he finds that idea grimly funny.

He considers Laura a moment before he shakes his head. "It's this stuff that I'm doing out of old habits, fighting crime, not killing people, playing by Gotham rules," he says. "Somedays I think I've become a total bitch." There's a bitter bark of a laugh at the idea of him finding a mentor. "Tried the mentor thing a couple of times, didn't work out." Though he does seem to look up to seriously consider what she says about Bushido. "Heard of it. Code of the Samurai and all of that, but the way you talk about it, sounds interesting, any books you can recommend?"

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura actually smiles, it's brief, but sincere. Because she finds the idea humorous, she realizes, that someone thinks she knows really anything about it. When she's only had one lesson from a man who himself said he was no master of it. "No. I have only had one lesson myself. But, I will be looking further into it, and speaking with my mentor soon more about it. He learned of it from a master in Japan. But is no master himself."

Still, she nods. "He has gone through much, and stated he believes it will help me. And I trust him. I can only suggest you try to find one who you can speak to about it. Though I will be looking for writings on it, myself," she agrees. "I wish to learn more."

Jason Todd has posed:
"Interesting," Jason says realizing Laura is a novice at this too. "So, guessing you haven't found the answer then, why you kill?" he asks her.

"I'll keep my eyes open for someone but not holding my breathe, I'm sort of a hard person to teach," he says with a wry smirk. "Your guy sounds good though, usually a good sign when a guy admits up front he doesn't know it all."

Laura Kinney has posed:
"I know why I kill. I kill because it is efficient. Because it means that my enemy will not return to come back. I kill because it ends threats, completely, and finally. And it sends a message to those I fight against." X-23 is dead certain on all of this.

"From what I was told about Bushido, however, it is asking yourself for what reason do you kill. My mentor told me: 'Why do I take this life? Do I take it so that many lives might live? If that is so, then I raise this sword to give life. Do I take this life because of vengeance? Because someone has hurt me, or someone I cared for? In that case, I weild this sword to give death. Or, do I take the darker path? Do I kill because it is easy? Because I enjoy killing? If that is the case, then I wield this sword to murder."

She pauses, adding, "We also talked about one of the tenents of Bushido. Mercy. Attempting to understand your enemy. And why they are fighting you. And, why killing is not always the best choice. It is - complicated. But I am learning."

Jason Todd has posed:
"Sounds familiar," Jason says of Laura's reasons for killing. "Dead guys don't cause more problem." Or muder anyone's sidekicks.

The next words give Jason pause as he considers his own killing, and whatever he decides about it, it seems that he doesn't quite like it.

"I understand about mercy, and not killing everyone, some people didn't choose to be criminals and if they get help they can change, but the others, the ones that won't change no matter what help we give them, they need to be put down."

There's another quiet moment, "So, why do you wield your sword?" he asks. "Figuratively speaking."

Laura Kinney has posed:
"I have used it for all those reasons," Laura answers, without beating around the bush, without embarassment. "I have wielded these claws to murder. Because I was told to. I have wielded it to save lives. And, for my own personal vengenance."

Her jaw sets, her features taking on an intensity. "But I will never use them to murder again. I will wield them still to save lives. And, it is very likely for my own vengenance again, I will wield it." She adds, "But that will be on my own time. But I will never murder again." Of this, she is but absolutely certain.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason is less ready to look at his own killing so clearly and he turns his head to watch a police chopper flying in the distance. Likely a crime in progress but it's not his patrol zone, he knows one of the others will get it, but the watching is a welcome distraction.

"Sounds like you've got what you want figured out, no more murder," he says, as he looks back. "Though just so you know, Red Robin's not going to be okay with any killing, it's a thing with him and the rest of the family."

Laura Kinney has posed:
X-23 nods, once, concisely. "I am aware. And when and while I fight with him, I will not. I respect him. He - accepted me. Despite my failings." Laura purses her lips, shrugs once. "And his causes are just. I will be helping people when I fight with him. But my own fights, those will still be mine. And I will do what needs to be done. Not everything can be done with a team."

Afterall, all her life, until now, was virtually one solo mission, with trainers and handlers who made sure she was prepared, however cruel those methods of preperation might have been.

Jason Todd has posed:
There's a nod, "Yeah, his causes usually are, the nerd," Red Hood agrees about Tim and what he's assembled his little team to do. "And fair point about not having to do /everything/ with the group." Case in point tonight. He was here in contravention of a bunch of family rules. "What are your missions if you don't mind me asking?"

Laura Kinney has posed:
"Presently, my peronsal mission is to determine a method to defeat someone who is invulnerable. To everything, including explosions, collapsing bulidings, my claws, bullets, poisons, and gases." Laura's face grows hard, and no doubt, Jason has seen a similiar look of hate in the mirror, or on faces of others when talking about certain enemies that are especially dangerous.

"And, to find out who I am. To learn how to be more normal. I am very much not normal." As, no doubt, Jason could tell. But the words, coming matter-of-fact, from Laura as she cites this as merely a fact to be filed away and reviewed, rather than emotionally attached to that thought is something else entirely. Self-aware, but only factually. So emotionally detached she can't associate with most of them yet beyond the most simple of concepts.

"What are yours?" It's only fair she asks in turn, afterall.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason recognizes that hate in Laura's eyes. "That's a hell of a puzzle, is he immune to all of that or just at the concentrations you've tried?" he asks. "I find enough explosives usually fixes most problems."

He nods of Laura's missions. "Normal's great and all but if I was you, I wouldn't lose the no-bullshit thing you've got going on. You don't meet a lot of people who say what's on their minds."

"Mine? Wipe out an owl cult, wage war on crime in Gotham, figure out how much I want people in my life," he answers with a shrug.

Laura Kinney has posed:
"As someone who had no one in their life and did not know what living was until her mother reached out to her, and then was activated to kill her mother bcause of her betrayal to the program," Laura tells Jason, "I want people in my life. I envy that you have them. I only have one. My sister." Well. Not really her sister. But, that's how Laura views her.

"I hope you discover the answers to your questions, Red Hood."

Jason Todd has posed:
The mask hides it but there's a pause while Red Hood blinks. "They made you kill your mom?" he asks his lips drawing into a hard line. "Hope you ended those motherfuckers for that."

The rest is met with a nod. "Red Robin and Sparrow will be part of your life if you let them it's who they are, the others too if Tim picked them."

He picks up his helmet and puts it on, sealing it back in place.

You too," he says. "In the meantime want a ride back to the Roost? My bike's only a couple of blocks from here."

Laura Kinney has posed:
A pause, before X-23 only nods. "Yes." A ride, certainly, would be better than walking back. She lifts herself up to her feet and begins to move in pace with the Red Hood.

Oddly, she does not answer any further questions about having killed her mother, which might tell Jason something, and might not. Either way, they each seem to have given each other something to think about tonight.