4121/Gotham by Night

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Gotham by Night
Date of Scene: 13 November 2020
Location: Gotham Royal Hotel
Synopsis: A party for the rich and mighty in Gotham turns bloody when the Hand decides to make a move.
Cast of Characters: Elektra Natchios, Natasha Cranston




Elektra Natchios has posed:
Celebrations about the new presidency have been going about all over the States, and with Lex Luthor being an esteemed member of the Hellfire Club it was only fit that they sponsored a party at one of the most famous hotels in Gotham. The Royal Hotel. A party to the rich and powerful, of course. As befits those that belong to the club..

Elektra, being part of the board, had taken over the reins of the organization even if she wasn't exactly the hostess. No need to call too much attention for herself. Instead she had been taking care of things behind the scenes even if she made sure to at least appear in the party to circle and mingle..

She is dressed in a sleeveless gown, black colored and leaving her shoulders bare, flowing all the way down to her feet. High heels and some jewelry do finish the ensemble, the ambassador's daughter smiling ever so slightly as she greets an influential politician of Gotham? Crooked one? Maybe, considering it's Gotham they are talking about ..

Natasha Cranston has posed:
    Despite the fact that she voted for the other candidate, Natasha did accept the gracious invitation -- after all, any excuse to mingle and partake of someone else's catering is a good one.

    She's shown up in a black and silver ensemble that's possibly a bit too daring for a woman her age, but she seems to be carrying it off well - and she'd hardly be the only woman in her mid-thirties trying to reclaim some youth.

    She's currently chatting amiably with a functionary of civil something-or-other who is gamely trying to pretend he thinks her jokes are funny, and - if anyone were to be keeping track - apparently on her third glass of champagne already this evening...

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Elektra's gaze carefully surveys the party, taking note of those here even as she speaks with the politician.. Familiar faces? Quite so, and even some she would had wished to avoid. But the plan appears to be working at least. She smiles just so in the direction of a pair of men over to one side, asian features, dressed in dark suits. They don't exactly look like the friendliest of sorts... But where it comes to facing death in the eye she always has a smile to offer.

The woman continues to breeze by the party once she is done with the politician she was talking to, eyes resting on Natasha. Some recognition there.. She approaches.

"Good evening." she offers, her eyes trailing down to her glass. "Quite the good champagne, is it not?" she comments, she also with her own flute. Not on her third glass though!

Natasha Cranston has posed:
    There is a brief hesitation as Natasha looks the newcomer over, but then she smiles the wide, generous smile of someone who was taught exactly how to give an earnest, open smile by a professional etiquette coach.

     "It certainly is, miss... Natchios, wasn't it?" Natasha asks, taking just a bit longer to make sure she pronounces the name correctly. "Of course, the Hellfire club can always be counted on to deliver the very best!" The following laugh is perhaps a bit longer and a mite louder than the jest warranted, but such is the attitude of the cheerfully inebriated...

Elektra Natchios has posed:
"It certainly is." Elektra replies with some amusement, taking a drink from her flute. "Ms. Cranston. I am more used to seeing you at our events at the Hellfire. Didn't expect you here. Are you a Gotham resident?" she inquires. There is some curiosity there but the act with the three champagne flutes has called her attention somewhat. Something she has done in the past when more ..., difficult targets presented themselves.

She gestures to the rest of the party, "I do not come here too often, but this was a good opportunity to meet a few old friends." she says friends in a way that she doesn't particularly mean it in the usual manner.

"Though I am glad to see you are enjoying yourself."

Natasha Cranston has posed:
    "Oh, I was in the neighborhood," Natasha replies with a casual shrug, taking another sip. "I had some business issues to take care of with a local subsidiary this afternoon which took longer than planned because of the election news. This party was closer."

    She winks conspirationally. "Plus, it /is/ a good way to check up on contacts I don't normally see all that often." Another laugh. "And yes, it's a lovely party. I'll have to make sure to thank the hosts when I see them..."

Elektra Natchios has posed:
"A convenient venue then. Well, regardless, I am glad to have you present here." Elektra lifts her own glass in a salute to the other woman. "Gotham is always so .., rife with possibilities." most of her being here had always been filled with action afterall. Be it with Bats, Hoods or even the Hand .. And tonight it did seem as if the Hand wanted another word with her. Fine with her, the circle had been tightening for a time even if she thought most of the Hand cell in Gotham had been taken out..

"Oh, I am sure they should be around.." her eyes dancing with brief amusement. Another glance is given to that particular corner.

"Now if you will excuse me, I should go powder my nose." The classical excuse to step away from prying eyes. She begins moving out of the general party area, trailing off to a side corridor. It's noticeable that those two men in suits step out of their perches too, beginning to walk there shortly after. For someone that knows how to read people their intent seems to be tending to the murderous.

Natasha Cranston has posed:
    Natasha frowns. The pattern is obvious to someone who knows what to look for, and utterly obscure to people who don't -- and she's not supposed to be observant enough to tell the difference. How to interfere... Ah.

    Luckily, the functionary had taken the opportunity of her talk with Elektra to make himself scarce, leaving her standing alone with her half-empty glass. She tosses the rest back quickly, then makes a slightly exaggerated show of glaring down at it before looking around and making a beeline for the nearest waiter with a tray - and apparently completely oblivious to the suited goons crossing the ballroom floor.

    When asked later, the servant of the Hand will have no excuse to offer for not noticing the drunk woman until it was too late to do anything but brace for the collision. He'd seen her, he'd been entirely aware of her presence, he'd just... Not kept her in mind.

    It's like a slow motion car wreck. Natasha, utterly oblivious, doesn't notice the man in time and collides off his shoulder, then caroms into the horrified waiter. There is a noisy crash that seems to go on longer than it should as expensive champagne, slightly less expensive flutes, and three people crash into the ground...

Elektra Natchios has posed:
It's true that those who serve the Hand can be very ..., one-track mind. Elektra could say! Considering the years she has spent as an assassin working for them. But this one is more of a supernatural manipulation. Not that these men aren't aware that it is part of their world but ..., they still fall for it. At least one of them. The one she goes against. The man's eyes look surprised, not having even paused on his way down to that corridor but then he is falling down... And, is that champagne?

The other casts a look down at his 'fallen' friend but says nothing continuing on his way. So much for loyalty! But he has a mission so the man carries on...

As for the one on the ground there is first a curse in japanese, <<Damn these drunken gaijin.>> he mutters, starting to get up to his feet. Of course that just walking away would not look good. And perhaps draw attention so he offers one hand to Natasha.

"Are you alright, miss?" the accent very noticeable.

Natasha Cranston has posed:
    "Yes... Yes, I think I'm fine," Natasha replies, getting unsteadily to her feet and giving no indication at all that understood every word of that. "I'm... I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention... Are you all right?" She asks, then looks down at her now somewhat soaked dress. "I think I'm going to need some time to clean up. If you'll excuse me..."

    She wanders off in the direction of the restrooms, apparently entirely unaware of the scene she's created...

Elektra Natchios has posed:
"I am." The man grumps somewhat, suit still dripping champagne. And damn it, for a ninja it's hard to find a good dry cleaner for their clothing.. Ah well. He eyes the woman a moment, very much not happy but then steps back. He is ready to follow along with the other man but now they have gone out of sight..

Still, the direction is pretty much the same that Natasha is taking, towards the restrooms. When she gets to that corridor Elektra is nowhere in sight. Only the first man that ignored his fallen friend. He is opening a door to one of the restrooms. The ladies restroom? Most likely.

The man disappears inside, leaving Natasha alone on that corridor. Or perhaps not *that* alone as the other asian man's steps are heard making their way down, some ways behind her. He is not exactly targetting Natasha now, but if she is in the way ..., well ...

Natasha Cranston has posed:
    Natasha frowns in that slightly puzzled way that drunks can sometimes affect and follows the man, pushing open the door. "Hey, this is the Ladies' restroom, you can't be in here!" she admonishes loudly as she barges in without taking stock of the situation...

Elektra Natchios has posed:
The door opens to reveal the man being kicked back and into a washer, the sound of it breaking just as Natasha opens the door. Elektra is on the other side, leg lifted after having just kicked the man over... A brow arches on the woman's expression when Natasha comes in before it turns somewhat amused. An amusement that seems edged by the way her eyes squint. This is still a fight against a dangerous foe, and she can't let her guard down.

The man starts getting up to his feet, shaking his head, <<You should had known better than turn your back on Nobu. He sends his regards.>> venom and hatred on his voice..

As for the man that was trailing behind Natasha. Well, he is heard approaching, the sound of a butterfly knife heard being open. "A pity you chose to come into the restroom now.." the man is resigned. One more kill won't matter.

Natasha Cranston has posed:
    It's a simple tactic, really. Say something confusing to the unsuspecting victim, cause them to turn around to look at you, and then slide the knife between their ribs before they realize you're carrying one. Simple, efficient, effective; he's used it so often he could probably do it in his sleep, and the drunk gaijin obliges him by turning... And then it all goes wrong somehow. Her hand wasn't supposed to be there, she's standing just a bit closer than he'd initially estimated, forcing him to adjust his own motion, and --

             -- he must have slipped, or blinked --

     -- and he's not entirely sure how the hilt of his knife wound up protruding from between his own ribs instead.

    "<<You do not believe in pity. Pray that whatever you face on the other side does,>>" the woman replies in fluent Japanese with a calm that would be probably be terrifying if blood loss wasn't tugging his consciousness down into the forever darkness...

Elektra Natchios has posed:
The man was just about to move in. Finish the job so they can face the real threat. Or so he thought. It's a surprise when the knife is found on his ribs, the pain immense. He falls to his knees, blinking. "Bakemono.." he whispers. And then no more words. The man falls, blood starting to pool on the ground..

As for Elektra, she moves in, the other man doing the same and they exchanging quick blows, hands a blur as each tries to find an advantage..

They are clearly masters of their art, each strike made with graciousness, with intent. Each a killing blow against a lesser opponent. But they block and dodge.. At least until Elektra jumps back, just out of reach of a strike instead of blocking. It makes the man get off balance for the split of a second and she spins swiftly, sweeping the legs from under him..

The man falls hard, hitting his head, something Elektra takes advantage of when she slides in and punches the man's throat. A disabling strike. Deadly? Not just yet.

<<Seems you are more than you appear to be, Ms. Cranston.>> Elektra's voice now, the woman down on one knee and searching the man's pockets. There is still some tension on her shoulders, perhaps ready for action in case the other woman decides to move in against her.

Natasha Cranston has posed:
"<<I've found that most people are,>>" Natasha replies, calmly stepping back to avoid getting the man's blood on her heels.

    "<<Now, people did see me heading toward the Ladies' room, so unless you've a plan to vanish both these two completely I'm going to have to start screaming in terror at having walked into a restroom containing two dead bodies in at most a minute more...>>"

Elektra Natchios has posed:
A snort is given in response. "True enough." Elektra getting back up to her feet once she retrieves a wallet from within a pocket, slipping it away. The talk about screaming in terror has her lifting a brow. "All will be taken care of." she says with the assuredness of someone that knows what she is doing.

She makes her way to the entrance, past both Natasha and the stabbed man to step out onto the corridor. One hand is brought up to a small earcom on her ear. "You can come clean up." a pause. "Yes, they took the bait." a glance then back to Natasha.

"You won't be a problem, will you?" She asks.

Natasha Cranston has posed:
    Natasha smiles at that -- a slightly thinner one than the practiced, polished politician's one she wore in the ballroom. "Only if you decide to make me one," she replies.

     "But if you're certain you have everything under control... I believe I've had enough fun and excitement for one evening. Please pass my regrets to the hosts; I'll see myself out..."

Elektra Natchios has posed:
An assessing looks is given, Elektra watching the other woman for a small while, perhaps considering if she would be a threat or not. In the end she decides against, stepping away from the entrance to the restroom to let the other woman out. "Of course.." she murmurs, the corner of her mouth curling up in a crooked smile. "Then I shall count on your discretion. And I am certain we will be meeting again soon." one way or another at least. Elektra would make sure to look for Ms. Cranston.

She folds her arms about her waist, waiting, already a pair of security officers seen walking from a side entrance and towards the restroom. Elektra doesn't seem worried at all so it most likely were the ones she was speaking with before.

"The rest of a good evening, Ms Cranston." She offers, brushing some stray hair away from her face.