3439/Court of Owls: Red Dead Redemption Interlude 1 - Ravager

Court of Owls: Red Dead Redemption Interlude 1 - Ravager
Date of Scene:	19 September 2020
Location:	Grand Hall - Wayne Manor
Synopsis:	Rose arrives to Wayne manor, bloody and broken. It's clear she knows The Secret.
Cast of Characters:	Tim Drake, Rose Wilson, Bruce Wayne

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Tim Drake has posed:
The sun is slinking into the horizon over Bristol, the skies darkening and shot through with golds and reds. The shadows of the grave markers in the Drake family cemetery lengthen, crawling across the blood-splattered stone where Rose's body lays. Her knife remains ignored several feet away on the ground. The contents of Tim's pockets are scattered on the ground at the edge of the stonework: phones and a couple of small devices, a small velvet bag, his car keys, his wallet. His tie has blown away in the wind and is currently caught against the dying flowers on his mother's grave.

The problem with this scenario, for the Court, at least, is that Rose isn't completely human. She is a metahuman. A super soldier. And while she has lost a lot of blood, even to the point of earlier unconciousness, and while she is injured in many places from the cuts and stabs the Court left on her...

She's not dead yet. And having been given some hours for her healing factor to push through the absolute worst, she should be waking up.

Rose Wilson has posed:
Should be waking up.

Could be waking up.

Is waking up.

It's a process, and when she swims towards conciousness the first things that happen is she takes a split second mental inventory of every ache, pain, injury, sound and smell around her. She doesn't know how long it has been, and she doesn't know if she's alone. Not right away.

There's an element of surprise that she can use if she's not been left alone. But she doesn't detect anyone else around, not by sound or smell. And although she's not got a special nose, and mostly what she smells is her own blood, dirt, and cold stone, she is fairly confident that there isn't anyone.

Waking comes in stages, as does getting to her feet. First, eye opens. Then she plants her hands against the cold stone and pushes herself half up, takes a moment to let the world stop spinning. Then she gets to her feet fully, looking around her before she starts to move.

A decision already made, she head's for the front of the burned out manor, grabbing phones, keys, wallet, velvet bag. Everything but the tie. The bag is shoved in a pocket, as are the devices she has no idea what they are. But on the way to the car she tries the phone, and if it unlocks for her, she tries a call to the first person she can think of that her and Tim both share in common that might also be a target. Hood.

Second person that is on her radar to get in contact with is a lot closer. And she starts the car up, slams it into gear and heads for Wayne manor, breaking every speed and safety law known to man in the process.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Normally there would be alarms if a high-speed vehicle was barreling down on Wayne Manor, but this is an "authorized" vehicle, even if it's approaching at a speed that's normally reserved for secret entrances to a certain cave that are several miles away. However the -speed- does trip a few alarms, so Alfred Pennyworth is on high alert, shotgun in easy reach when he moves to the door, though there's no effort made to reach for it when he checks the cameras and sees who it is that's staggered to their door.

"Good heavens, Miss Wilson, come inside, quickly now." He ushers her through the door, "Please, take a seat while I gather the first aid kit and you tell me what's happened."

Rose Wilson has posed:
Maybe the fact Tim's car is an "authorized" vehicle went into her reasons for using it instead of walking. Maybe the fact she's still very hurt went into her reasons. Probably both played a big part in it, honestly.

But despite injuries, she does not sit. Instead she stands there just inside the door, bloody, dirty, looking pale and like she might just fall face first onto the floor if it weren't for the fact that beneath it all her healing was working in overtime to put things back the way they were. "I don't have time to tell the story twice, or sit down. Where's your boss?"

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Alfred studies Rose closely, clearly listening to her every word, before he adds, "Young lady, you will sit, and you will let me attend to your injuries. You may even be marched to a bath if your wounds permit, but you are going nowhere quickly at the moment, and regardless of your intentions it will be far easier to carry them out after you are properly cared for. I will, however, send for Master Bruce, though I should warn that this afternoon has been a bit...busy for us here." She may well note the Shotgun leaning next to the door...that's not usually there.

Down in the Batcave, Bruce watches the monitors, and moves towards the elevator, not bothering to remove the costume save for the cape and cowl. He ponders the old "hide it under the bathrobe" routine, but no...there isn't much point. If she didn't know, or at least very strongly suspect, she likely wouldn't have come here.

<<I'm on my way up, Alfred.>> The Butler hears in his own earpiece.

Rose Wilson has posed:
Save her from overly helpful sorts.

Rose glances at Alfred, then the shot gun, then back at Alfred. Some part of her tells her to not try and deal with the butler the way she normally might deal with something annoying and in her way.

Nor does she sit. Instead she stares at him, and puts all that irritation and stubbornness into that look.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
Alfred actually smiles, a perfectly pleasant and polite sort of smile, and while there doesn't seem the slightest hint of edge to it, his tone is firm, "Miss Wilson. I have dealt with Master Bruce his entire life. I have attended to all his children at various times. I suspect you have some knowledge of their inclinations, so believe me when I say that however fantastically stubborn you may be, that is no bar to the performance of my duties." And before Rose knows it, she is being gently but firmly "guided" onto the nearest available chair or suitable surface for sitting. And while there are some slight inclinations in the Butler's movements that he does have...training, the more bewildering aspect of it is that for all Rose might protest or struggle, he manages to do it without seeming at all put-out or even so much as getting his bow-tie out of place, though it's clear he's not squeamish about getting some of the blood and grime on him, nor does he seem upset when some of it does.

And right about the time Rose finds herself seated, Bruce arrives, or is it Batman? It's Batman wearing Bruce Wayne's face! Truth be told, there is a palpable difference between the fellow that emerges from the direction of the study and the one that's been seen hobnobbing at Galas and the like. But for the face it could be an entirely different person in bearing and carriage.

"Miss Wilson. Do they have Tim?" He asks, straight-out.

Rose Wilson has posed:
The more Alfred manages to politely navigate her, the more Rose looks irritated, and the more she tries to wiggle out of things. But the arrival of BruceBat forestalls any words that she might have for Alfred and his very polite butleryways.

"Yes." It's a simple answer to a direct question, and if she's surprised at all by the fact Bruce=Bat she doesn't show it. "The undead fuckers, dozens of them attacked us in the cemetary. There was a man there that looked like he was in charge, and then there was the Powers bitch that did some..." Some what? Ritual? That just sounds weird. "Ritual that she thought killed me."

Bruce Wayne has posed:
"They have Jason as well. They tried to take Damian in the cave earlier." Bruce shares that much, "We had some inclinations of cult-like activity from them. Powers is a good lead." He affirms as well, his intense gaze not leaving Rose, "Tell me what happened, in as much detail as you can recall."

Meanwhile, Rose finds a platter of hot washcloths placed beside her, to let her at least clean up her face and hands and such. Though it's accompanied by a look from Alfred that suggests he'll spit on a napkin and "mom-clean" her right here and now if he has to.

Rose Wilson has posed:
That explains why Jason didn't answer his phone! There is a glare at Alfred, but Rose takes one of the washcloths and starts to wipe off her hands. Sort of. She's doing a bad job, and was probably the kid that never washed behind their ears growing up.

"We were in the Drake family cementary when they swarmed us. There were too many of them for us to fight, and we weren't heavily armed, and no armor. They tied Tim up, and took him with them....Somewhere."

She really doesn't know much beyond that, regarding Tim at least. But that does cause her to get to her feet, dumping everything out onto the counter that she picked up, "You can't track his phone, they dumped it. And all this...Not sure if you would have sewn a tracker into his clothes, but I can tell you what he was wearing if you would have."

Her dad would. Wouldn't all dad's?

Bruce Wayne has posed:
"No, no tracker in his clothes. At least not his civilian clothes." Batman lifts one of the devices that Rose dumped, indicating it meaningfully, "This would normally do the job, as well as the phones." He briefly studies the other devices but doesn't seem to find anything unusual or worth mentioning there. "All right. You need to rest, eat, and clean up, and then I'll let you know where you can help, but you're not going back into the field until you've fully healed." Bruce assesses her with a gaze and surmises, "Based on what I know of your father...a few days? Alfred, put her in one of the guest rooms. We'll get your gear to you when it's time."

There's a pause before Batman adds, "This is normally the part where I'd tell you that we'll handle everything but since you're going to involve yourself whether I discourage you or not, you may as well work with us instead of parallel to us. Besides, at this point I'm not sure we can afford to turn down assistance, and based on tonight's events the Court doesn't seem aware of your capabilities. That's something we can use."

Rose Wilson has posed:
There is a quick assessment of her injuries, and she looks like she might be ready to protest that she's fine, and could go //now//. But she visibly clamps down on that before she gets to her feet, "A lot of my stuff is at Tim's, but there's an apartment I've got."

There is zero explanation of what she keeps there, or why she's got an apartment. Nor does she tell him //where//. Simply assumes that he knows already.

The bloody, dirty washcloth gets tossed down onto the counter before she looks at Alfred, then she gestures for him to lead the way.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
"Understood." Batman replies, implying that yes, he knows the place. Or at least considers the matter settled regardless. "I'll keep you posted." Because he knows if he doesn't she's likely going to tunnel her way into the Cave (possibly with plastic explosives) and demand answers. "You can bring her downstairs tomorrow." Batman asides to Alfred, "Under escort." Not because he doesn't tru...well OK, it's because he doesn't entirely trust her, not in terms of identities, but in terms of seeing something deadly sitting in the Trophy Room or Armory and wandering off with it.

Alfred again offers that pleasant, polite smile and nods, "Right this way, Miss Wilson." And with that he'll lead her to one of the lavishly-appointed guest rooms, complete with private Bath. Food will follow in a short while. Sadly, probably not much that can sooth roiling rage and whether-she-admits-it-or-not worry over Tim's fate.

Rose Wilson has posed:
It's good instincts. She might walk off with something she decides might possibly someday be useful for something. And food? It might not soothe, but it provides much needed fuel for getting the revenge that she's wanting.

And whatever plan Batman might have, there's one plan she's got. And no possible rules the Bats have are going to stop her from making that one thing happen. No matter what.