722/Artifacts of the Amazonians

Artifacts of the Amazonians
Date of Scene:	24 March 2020
Location:	Kingston - Miagani Island
Synopsis:	While busting an illegal casino, Robin comes across an Amazonian with ulterior motives!
Cast of Characters:	Zatanna Zatara, Atlin, Carrie Kelley

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Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Maxie Zeus is known in the criminal ranks as something of a whack job. Not like got dipped and acid and went crazy whacko, but more 'He Thinks He's Descended from Zeus' whack job. But if it's one thing he knows how to do, it's to make money. His latest ploy is 'Maxie's', an illegal casino that is being run in an abandoned warehouse in the the affluent Kinston neighborhood.

With Grecian columns, women dressed in togas, and plenty of illegal games - it's not just the money. It's the power. Recently, Maxie has added a new piece to his collection - a vase. It is not just any vase, it's believed to be a vase that was stolen from an art exhibit on Themyscarian art - but oddly, it was supposedly from Wakanda. It features a painted history of a foundling being taken in by the Amazonians in secret and training the girl to be a warrior.

It's currently under glass at the moment as patrons mill around, spending cash, getting chips with Maxie's Zeus face on them, and the man himself is sitting up on his throne. "I appreciate all of your tributes!" he calls out as a girl in a toga feeds him grapes.

Atlin has posed:
If anyone was going to be insulted by someone pretending to be Zeus? It was probably going to be an Amazon. People playing god wasn't exactly new in the world, but even for the Amazon of Bana-Mighdall, the gods of Olympus were very real and very much a witnessed thing. Add to that rumors of something that may well be directly from her own hidden homeland being kept as some lowlife thief with delusions of godhood and well...the 'Daughter of War' wasn't particularly happy about things.

Of course, at least her limited time in Man's World and begging from her contact to be more subtle had stopped her from literally storming in and knocking things down, the tanned woman steps through the doorway with a frown on her face and her arms crossed under her bust. Compared to most casino-goers, she was probably a little underdressed in the slacks and button-up shirt she'd been given by a certain SHIELD agent after they'd requested she not simply walk around everywhere armed and armored, but for the moment she simply...glowered.

There was probably a way to do this without violence...she'd just have to think of it.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
While it was usually Batman or the male Robin that dealt with crime in Gotham, it wasn't unheard of for the female Robin to make an appearance now and again over the years. Some thought she was merely myth--A tale told to help with the girl power movement to give them a hero to look up to as well. Usually it was just that Robin was busy elsewhere. As of late though she'd been in Gotham more and more, and had taken up the patrols again that had once been only handed out as a reward for doing what the Boss said.

The little girl Robin had grown up though. It was time to just DO what she knew was right. Like take down an illegal casino that was potentially harboring stolen artifacts.

It wasn't so much the casino itself--That was harmless enough even if it was illegal. It was the fact that it was a perfect place for money laundering to occur, and Gotham's underworld did not need that. So it had to come down, and come down quick.

Which is why Robin is currently perched up high in the rafters of the warehouse, just above one of the Grecian columns, taking in the lay of the land. Zeus boy was over there, some guards over there... Lots of patrons. No one here looked like trouble, except the woman who had just walked in. Well. This would be interesting.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Snacking on a grape, Maxie looks up when Atlin arrives, and he frowns. It's not because she's intimidating or in an outfit that just screams SHIELD agent in disguise, but because. "Why has someone not presented Bia with her nectar!" Oh great, he thinks that Atlin is the Greek Goddess of Force. "But where are your beautiful wings? Ah, in disguise, are you? Come, come stand before your god!" he calls out to the Amazonian woman.

Someone might be a little delusional.

But Atlin's arrival has a beneficial side effect for Robin. The radios start to buzz, and now she can pick out who is patron and who is gangster with ear piece and gun tucked in their jacket. There's five of them total, spread out amongst the casino goes, with one more near Maxie himself.

"Are you here to appreciate my new artwork?" he asks 'Bia'. "The Amazonians honor your God with their gift!"

Atlin has posed:
Okay...that was different. Even Atlin is left with a little blink and a shudder. Quite the guess, it was a little nearer to the mark than she'd care to admit. Her mouth opens to speak, but that immediate followup and self proclaimation? Well, that brings a long slow breath from the Amazon girl.

"You are quite insane pretender," she speaks, low enough he might not even hear her with his own loud words. Robin might not have been noticed by Atlin, but the armed guards? She'd managed to pick up on their 'vibe' enough that her eyes move over each before returning to the artwork. "This artwork is not yours to claim..."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Robin clues in rather quickly to what's going on as soon as 'Zeus' greets the newcomer in that way. Or moreso from the response of the woman which earns a little grin of amusement as it seems they were both there for similar enough reasons. Reaching up she taps the side of her ear to lower the comm chatter between the mobsters just a bit; enough so that she could focus on what was about to happen.

Which was the lights going off.

The main power can be heard switching off with a loud KaCHUNK as if a breaker had flipped leaving the entire room in darkness and near silence as the music stops. It's then that she switches on the multiple projectors she'd hidden atop the columns.

Along the floor were red arrows pointing to the exits, which were equally highlighted. This wasn't to aid the criminals of course, but the myriad people who were there as 'customers' in an attempt to lead them off away from potential danger. Along with it are the soothing, sweet tones of a woman's voice which comes over the speaker--They HAVE a speaker? Somehow, there's an overhead that spreads the message of: "We apologize for the inconvenience, but we're expericing a power outage due to an overload on the system. Please make your way to the exits in an orderly fashion. Thank you."

Nope, nothing odd here, not at ALL.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Pretender?" Maxie is shock, in horror by Atlin's claim. "PRETENDER?!" he roars, rising from his seat. "I am the GOD OF GODS! I am ZEUS, the father of Perseus and Heracles, ruler of Titans, supreme authority of all of Olympus! How dare you challenge me, Bia! You are but a handmaiden! A wingless child who will regret your words!" And as he grabs his trident -- the lights go out.

"BEHOLD MY POWER!"

Because he totally did that. But on the logical side of the aisle? The patrons are hearing the message - and with Maxie's screaming incoherently? There goes orderly fashion.

The gunmen are drawing weapons, looking around warily. One of the guards is moving to protect Maxie -- the dude pays really well, while another two are moving towards the vase to secure it, unaware of Atlin in the darkness. At least of her abilities.

The other two are looking to find the fuse box - they sense something - but not that it was a Robin in the mix.

Atlin has posed:
Well, she'd touched a nerve, but that just had Atlin all the more ready for it. He was pissed off? Good! She'd been angered the moment she'd looked upon this travesty of appropriation. Already she was starting to walk forwards with intent to leap into the fray.

...then the lights go out.

Huh.

That drawing of weapons, she can sense that, she can even see it. It was as much a declaration of combat commencing as anything else and frankly? Atlin was looking for an excuse. The rush of motion was probably all the warning the first man got before he was lifted and hurled into the air, headed for a hard landing on one of the blackjack tables.

She still didn't know Robin was here or that she intended to break things up, but Atlin seemed all too happy to simply 'break things' tonight anyway!

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Robin grins at the way things seemed to be coming together nicely. Even if it wasn't planned, Atlin was providing a perfect distraction for the head of the gang here. Plus it seemed as if she had some beef with the man herself. Something which might mean trouble down the line, but for now? For now it was perfect.

Only a breadth of time passes after the lights go out that Robin herself descends. With a little whip of air ruffling the cloak she wears she dives down from the rafters toward one of the nearer guards. Hands extended down she moves to land on his shoulders using him as a springboard to flip off of while simultaneously letting the weight of her fall hopefully drop him like a sack of bricks. If not? She would manage to take him down in the next step.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Goon one is thrown by Atlin, slamming into the blackjack table with a resounding thud as he groans. Goon two opens fire on the Amazonian, leveling his submachine gun at the woman as he opens fire. Goon three is trying to get Maxie out of there, as he rants and raves. "I will call down the lightning on you!" But he's moving to grab the vase from the glass case. It's his prize after all. "Protect me, loyal Centurion!"

Robin's entrance is noted as she slams heavily into the guard, taking him down. "We got Bats!" the other goon yells, swining around to open up on Carrie, spraying a roulette wheel with bullets as he tries to walk the bullets towards the Girl Wonder.

Atlin has posed:
Which was faster? A gangster with delusions and an ego trip, or an Amazon with blessings from actual Olympian gods? It was hardly fair really! A blurring rush of the woman in the 'business' outfit later, she was grasping the hand that was reaching for the vase tightly. She just had to hope the thug wasn't going to keep shooting at her near his boss!

"I should incinerate you where you stand," the woman seethes, the air around her already starting to take a sharp increase in ambient heat as she extends her other hand out towards Maxie's chest. "Consider this a mercy to a madman."

Well, it wasn't flames and death, but the shove probably hurt like hell as she slammed her palm into the man's chest...and promptly made it okay to shoot at her again!

A soft curse, Atlin herself snatches for the vase and the lifts her foot to -kick- the table that had been supporting the case in the direction of the assailent. Now? She sees Robin, but first she had to get the artwork out of the line of fire...then she could ask questions.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
With one guard down Robin spins on her heel sending her cape flying behind her. It was no where near as large nor as cumbersome as Batman's, but it did help to disguise where precisely she stood making her a more difficult target to shoot. That, and the fabric of the cape was no doubt somehow enhanced to help aid against bullets as well. Batman was rather thorough in such precautions.

The gun from the man she'd downed is kicked aside away from the main fracas to ensure that no one would end up with a free, freshly loaded weapon.

While she was no where near as fast as the Amazon, she was fast. She had to be to survive in this line of business. Behind one of the pillars she darts to use it for cover and just as she vanishes behind it her arm lashes out sending a batarang flying toward the gunman shooting in her direction. Don't kill. That she could do. It wouldn't stop her from lodging the batarang in the fleshy part of the man's arm to ensure he couldn't keep shooting at her though. He'd live. He'd recover.

When she comes out the other side of her impromptu cover she's closer to Atlin and Zeus-wannabe to notice just what she was here for. Eyes narrow suspiciously as the woman grabs for it, but... This was not the time to discuss things. Instead she offers, rather conversationally given the instance, "Talk in a few?"

Right before dodging the next volley of gunfire.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Atlin dares to touch Maxie, and he screams-- well screeches really. "UNHAND ME KNAVE!" he cries out, just before the woman discards him like so much rubbish, tossing him back into his throne as he crashes into it and slumps. The vase he was holding is tossed skywards -- but Atlin's grip is sure and she secures her prize. Just in time for another goon, one of the last, to open fire on her at near point-blank range as he aims at her -- but could hit the vase if she's not careful!

The goon firing on Robin takes a batarang to the arm. Wait, Robins aren't that violent! UNFAIR! He cries out, dropping the gun and grabbing his arm, just as Robin is coming up behind the goon firing on Atlin.

There's one goon unaccounted for. And drawing a knife, he rushes to slam into the Girl Wonder's side to attempt to drive his blade into the redhead's side. She wants to up the game? He's willing to play.

Atlin has posed:
The gunfire coming her way has Atlin twisting and bringing her arm around protectively over the ancient treasure. The sound of the impact of bullet was startling...but it wasn't ceramics shattering. Instead there's a new hole in her sleeve revealing her metallic bracer beneath.

Alright, so she hadn't -completely- disarmed after all.

The goon shooting at her? She doesn't quite deflect a bullet towards the man, instead? She reaches out and does the next best thing she can think of: she hurls a chair at him.

Carrie's call? It earns a blink and a nod. "Give me a moment then."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
A chair? Well that was a good idea. Too bad there weren't any near Carrie as the man lunges at her with the knife. Instinctively she shifts her weight to one heel so she can twist to the side away from the stab. Her arm comes up to grab the front of his collar as she does so, yanking him in closer to her using his own momentum. With that hold, she responds in the best up-close way she can: By slamming her forehead into his nose.

This Robin wasn't afraid of breaking things if she had to. It was a matter of efficiency. Killing was still out of course. The small package that she was has no problem being as much a bruiser as some of the guys at times.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Shooting good is slammed into by the chair, that sends his machine gun up and firing into the cieling before he's knocked out and the gun goes silent. Atlin is efficent in her attack, and the goon is taken down. On the other side, Robin tangles with the last goon and his nose is shattered by the slamming of Carrie's forehead into his nose, breaking it and he cries out as he hits the ground, knocked out of the fight.

That leaves the two women in the room of the ruined casino, the goons and Maxie down as police sirens sound in the background - ah the Gotham Police Department -- always thirty seconds too late.

Atlin has posed:
Questions to be asked were likely to follow, but well...Atlin didn't seem keen on waiting for the police. Technically Atlin might have an 'identity' organized to facilitate her being in Man's World, but she wasn't exactly carrying a passport or ID.

Oh...and the whole throwing people around the room and starting brawls thing.

A glance is given towards Robin, but the Amazon was already tucking the artwork under one arm and heading for a back door!