8010/Discreet negotiations, Asgard style

Discreet negotiations, Asgard style
Date of Scene:	27 September 2021
Location:	The Glades
Synopsis:	Vintridr tracks down the gang that harasses the area around Verdant, and has an open and frank discussion about possible futures with their leader. A meeting of minds is reached.
Cast of Characters:	Vintridr, Thea Queen

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Vintridr has posed:
    The Young Queen did mention she had a plan regarding the gang attempting to extort money from the Verdant's owner. Vintridr will even acknowledge that she probably has a better grasp of the local area politics than she herself does, and that the plan is likely a good one.

    However, in the short term some... precautionary measures to ensure that the Young Queen has time and opportunity to lay out said plan are probably not superfluous. Besides, it has been a while since she went on a true mission; it might not be unwise to ensure her skills haven't rusted.

    The gang's representatives had been, ah, greeted by Lady Sif, who is certainly memorable enough that they are unlikely to remember anyone else, but Vintridr hasn't survived as long as she has by making assumptions.

    The first order of business is investigating the lay of the land and learn where these thugs make their home. Fortunately, the general mood of the area discourages excess curiosity toward strangers for fear of contracting a fatal case of 'Looking at me, pal'; one more person wearing a shapeless hoodie and bulky cargo pants obscuring the general form of her body does not get too much attention. From there should be just a matter of hanging around the area near a couple of stores until they come by for their regular 'donations' and shadowing them back to their lair...

Thea Queen has posed:
Would those thugs return to action so shortly after having been uncerimoniously thrown out from the Verdant? You can bet they do! Not to the Verdant, of course. That's off limits for them now. But other businesses in the area? They are fair game.

So eventually Vin's wait by a pair of stores does come to fruition, a car coming by. Two men step out, one with a noticeable bandage around a shoulder and wincing while he walks. The other says, "You sure about comin' alone? You sorta don't look that menacing for this work right now.." "Hey, fuck you. I am the most menacing bad ass in here now, and besides.." the man drawing out a gun with his working hand, " ... I got this in case the rest ain't enough.." a sigh from his partner and they start walking into a laundry store.

Outside there's another pair who stay near the car, one stepping out and closer to the alley Vin has been hanging on to wait for them. "Hey, scram... Hope you aren't selling dope here without paying us." clearly thinking Vinnie must be a drug dealer. Regardless, he moves further into the alley and zips down. Seems like that man is suffering from a severe case of having to relieve himself!

Vintridr has posed:
    The first lesson of a scout: There is a time and a place to strike. Vintridr is after more important prey this afternoon, and while leaving the laundry owner to their fate doesn't sit well with her, this is neither the time nor the place -- nor is it the time or place to demonstrate to this man what poor life decisions he has just made.

    She scuttles off with a low-voiced mumbled apology like the street rat she's impersonating -- and takes to the rooftops the moment she's out of sight.

    Once on the rooftops, she makes some quick adjustments to her getup -- fingerless gloves, gaffer tape to close off her sleeves and pant legs, and a black face mask to cover her nose and mouth, going from 'street rat' to 'urban runner' or maybe 'budget vigilante'.

    Transformation complete, she perches out of sight on the rooftop to track and follow the car once it starts making its way back to where they came from...

Thea Queen has posed:
The Glades aren't a forgiving place for anyone. Business owners are normally getting shafted with cops mostly giving a blind eye to what happens here. And there aren't the same number of vigilantes as there are in Gotham. So as Vin gets ready to track the car back she can hear the sounds from inside. Of stuff getting thrashed. Some threatening words, the sound of someone screaming and a *thud* of someone being hit with a blunt object.

This goes for a few minutes until eventually the two men emerge from within, the one with the taped arm cleaning the back of his gun, most likely the blunt object he used to hit whoever was inside. As for the other? He is counting some money and putting it on his backpocket. "You didn't have to go batshit crazy on them, man." "Hey, someone had to pay after that bitch twisted my arm the other night.." a shrug and they both walk to the car.

The man that was on the alley has returned by now and they all get into the car.

"Alright, lets go back." They start driving off deeper towards the Glades. A place that even hardened vigilantes take pause before going into. But for an Asgardian? Not as scary most likely.

Vintridr has posed:
    Vintridr scowls underneath her mask. No action goes without consequence -- a lesson all to many of her compatriots learn only imperfectly at best. And cowards like this will always take out their own fears on those weaker than them. She adds the memory to her tally of misdeeds these scum will eventually have to atone for, and makes a mental note to see to the laundry owner's welfare later. For now, she follows the car.

    The shape of the Young Queen's plan becomes more clear as her quarry leads her deeper into the Glades; this place has gone far too long without anyone watching over those who cannot protect themselves, and the cowards and the bullies have claimed it for their own.

It appears she has chosen well.

    She's not as familiar with this area as she'd prefer, but she's had more decades of experience at shadowing others than any of her quarry have seen years; staying out of sight while following the car is not going to be a problem until and unless she runs out of rooftops before they reach their destination...

Thea Queen has posed:
As they travel further into the Glades so does it seem to get darker. Some lights missing here and there, quieter streets. Not many seen outside besides either gang members or brave ones that have to risk a walk out. There is a feeling of latent violence in the air out here, that a wrong turn out in the streets could turn bloody in a blink.

The car eventually comes to park close to an apartment brick building, rooftops having been a constant for Vin to be able to track them to their destination. They finally step out, the driver stretching and gesturing inside, the group starting to move in. This doesn't seem to be another stop, but more like the final one. Most likely where they gather.

Nearing the doorway one of them punches in a keycode, door opening and they start to pour in.

Lights are lit up within the building, some on the second floor, another on the first. It's not exactly a very large building but if this is their base of operations it does seem as if they are more organized than just some street thugs.

Vintridr has posed:
    Interesting. The Young Queen will certainly want to know where these scum lair, even if it's likely they'll move locations after tonight.

    One last leap - significantly more careful than the ones before - brings her to the rooftop, and she moves to the rooftop above the lit apartment, listening intently for conversation. What she's planning will be much more effective if she doesn't have to wait for introductions after making an entrance.

Thea Queen has posed:
As Vin comes to settle by the rooftop near that lit apartment there is the sound of a door closing. Steps. A voice that Vin will recognize as the man that had the gun. "We are back boss. And, yea..." a pause, some sound, ".. we got all that money. Should be enough, right?"

There is silence for a while once those words are spoken, then the sound of someone being slapped. A new voice. "It is. For now. I am not happy with the report you gave me the other night. You were -all- beat up by a single woman?" a tsk. "Maybe -she- will have to rethink her investment here in Starling, and how much you are being paid, mmmm? We do have a reputation to uphold.." the new voice is strong, firm. Whoever is the owner of that voice sounds like a solidly built man. No wonder the thug at the laundry store was so eager to vent out. They are most likely terrified of this guy.

"Maybe I just need to go there soon and see what this owner of the Verdant has to say. I don't care if she belongs to the Queen family. They will pay like the rest, I have a reputation to uphold."

Vintridr has posed:
Sometimes the universe is considerate enough to offer a perfect cue.

    A few steps backward for a running start, then a sprint culminating into a dive, grabbing on to the rooftop to pivot -- and crashing feet-first through the window and into the room beyond, landing in the traditional three-point vigilante crouch.

    One quick glance around the room to mark her targets, and she surges up to her feet, moving with all the speed granted by her Asgardian physique to take down the room's occupants.

Thea Queen has posed:
Being a criminal in Starling one must always be ready to have a nuisance like Arrow drop through a window. This one though? They do not know.

"What the ..." But then their leader is pointing. "Take her out!"

The room that Vin crashed through is pretty basic. A table in the middle of the room, a wall TV, a few chairs for them to sit. And a small safe on a corner. As for occupants? It's pretty much the four men that were driving about the neighborhood (and that Vin already knows), and their leader. And indeed he's a large one, at least 2 meters tall, broad, a beard, looking all too eager to get that vigilante smashed down. Not that he moves in to do so himself. He will let his thugs do so.

The first two that move are the ones that used to be in the car, taking small beatsticks from their jackets. The one with the injured arm is getting out his gun. Yet that poor bloke seems like he will be the first target!

As for the fourth one? He stays back like the boss. No need to get beat up for no reason!

Vintridr has posed:
    Vin doesn't respond. She'll have to come up with a suitable alias at some point if she's going to do this more often, but these thugs don't deserve to put a name to their pain.

    The guy who goes for the gun is her first victim; a - restrained - strike to his solar plexus to knock the air out of his lungs and distracts him long enough for her to snatch the gun out of his hand, grabbing on to his shirt to yank him down to bounce his head off the nearest convenient surface while casually squeezing the gun into an abstract sculpture with her other hand, and she moves to the next target.

    The two club wielders are dealt with equally quickly -- she grabs one of them one-handed and flings him into the other with enough force to bounce both off the nearest wall. The last one gets a very simple flat look, daring him to try his luck before she moves on to the boss, giving him just enough time to attempt one attack if he's so inclined.

Thea Queen has posed:
As the various thugs get handled with the expertise of a millenia-old warrior it doesn't take a genius to figure out there's little point to intervene, or try to strike. So both the leader and that last thug stay back. The thug's eyes widen with some fear at the way his buddies have just been dispatched. The leader instead looks at the vigilante with calculating eyes, frowning some.

But to their merit no one else is reaching out for a weapon or anything of the sort.

"What do you want?" The large man finally says, folding his arms together.

The ones on the ground groan in pain.

Vintridr has posed:
    "Your attention," comes Vin's reply. "I trust I have it?"

    She doesn't wait for a response as she steps forward. "You speak of reputation as if being a petty bully is anything to take pride in. You prey on the weak to make yourself feel powerful. I do not care for it."

    "But that is a discussion for another time. For now, I deliver a warning. The Verdant is off limits. Your goons are not welcome there. Whatever fond imaginings you entertain about 'sending a stronger message' or 'upholding your reputation', you will abandon them. Whoever the Young Queen employs is beyond your reach. Explain this in whatever manner you wish to your superior; I do not care how you save what little face you have, only that you understand my warning."

Thea Queen has posed:
The leader narrows his gaze, thoughtful, continuing to take in this new adversary. He doesn't reply right away, instead watching her and her posture. Perhaps considering whether to fight or not. In the end he seems to decide not to and lets out a grunt.

"Very well." The man rumbles. Accepted it too easily? Maybe. Either intelligent or buying time. "We can leave that little club be." for how long though?

"And what is your name?" He then asks. The men on the ground are slowly starting to sit up. The one that his arm messed up by Sif? That one is still wailing on the ground. Why is he always getting beat up?! So unfair.

Vintridr has posed:
    "My name is my own," Vin replies evenly. "You will not appreciate the circumstances in which you'll learn it." She holds his gaze a moment longer then turns toward the door to leave.

    She pauses as she reaches it. "... Oh, one last warning. When you report to your superior, she may decide in her wrath and wounded pride that a single guardian cannot protect a place forever, or keep everyone safe when they are in different places. She is correct in that. I cannot possibly protect them all continuously."

    She takes hold of the doorknob, and casually pulls it open -- despite the fact that it's supposed to open in the other direction.

"I can and will, however, avenge them."

    She lets the remains of the door drop to the ground in a shower of plaster. "Be sure to impress on your mistress that her pride will come at a very high price indeed."

    With that, she walks out of the room and down the stairs as if she hasn't a care in the world -- and certainly no concern for anyone on the ground floor that might have any funny ideas about stopping her.