Here Kitty [Cheshire]

[Red Hood]

Players: Red Hood and Cheshire
Location(s): some shady places
Plot Summary: Jason and Cheshire play cat & mouse, but there's something big in the works!

The sun was just beginning to dip down behind the horizon, turning the sky a splash of oranges and purples. Jason once preferred to operate only in the dead of night, but lately he'd been seen saving the world one bullet at a time at any given hour of the day. Because lets face it, crime doesn't only exist when the sun is in hiding. Criminals attack whenever the hell they want, civilians are victimized at any and all seconds of every hour of the day. If he didn't need a restock of armory, or a blood transfusion, or to sleep for a few hours, then he could be out on the streets saving lives. Suck on that, Batman.

For today though Jason's reason for suiting up wasn't to fight crime, not directly anyway. There was a woman he needed to see and there were some things to say to her. He wasn't exactly sure if it was the best time for her given current and recent situations but Jason knew he didn't have time to waste. There was a list he wanted to stick to and this woman was right around the top area. She was dangerous, deadly, untrustworthy, and a stark raving lunatic. But those were all the things that made her desirable at the moment.

Tracking her wasn't the easiest job in the world and predicting her moves were even tougher but Jason had gotten lucky and now he was on her trail. In San Fran there was a senator Jade had a bone to pick with, his room was guarded but Jason knew that wasn't even a slight worry in Cheshire's head. But if he wanted to get with her and lay down what it was he had to get out in the air he knew he'd have to reach this senator before the assassin did; otherwise the guy would be dead and Cheshire would be off in the wind.

[che]

Senator Ned McDowell office was rustic chic. It was the outdoors meets Swedish decorating, rich wood colors with ingenious storage use and practicality, the old and the brand new. There were several modern paintings on his wall, but only one family photo and it sat on his desk. The air was laced with a subtle hint of cigarette smoke, but no sign of an ash tray was in sight. The shades were drawn, but the lights were on. Lined up by the windows and by the door were four security agents dressed in full body armor. Outside, two more agents stood watch. Ned was certainly not happy to see how few agents were lent to him in this state of high alert, but the truth of the matter was, he had been the only one threatened, not his entire office. The people in the building went on conducting their usual day to day rituals and duties, while he remained in lock up rereading the threat on his computer screen over and over again.

In the hall outside, a thin woman walked toward Ned's office carrying a box of donuts and a carton case with coffee. She wore her hair slicked back into a tight low bun, a black suit jacket and matching pencil skirt. Her dress shirt was pink, matching her medium length nails. The agents stopped her. "I thought the agents would like some food," she said. One agent opened the box to inspect the donuts, while the other radioed his partner inside the office. "Stevens, this is Moore. One of McDowell's employees brought donuts and coffee." Ned looked to the agent when the voice over the radio came in. He whispered, "Ask for her name." Agent Stevens nodded. "Moore, what's her name?" Agent Moore read her name tag hanging from the top of her left breast. "Jade Nguyen," he answered back. Agent Stevens looked to the senator, but Ned shook his head. "I've never even heard of her. It's a trap. She's not suppose to be here!" Ned said. "Is there anyway she's an intern that you just don't remember?" Stevens asked. "No! Maybe. I don't like this. Send her away. It's too suspicious." "Okay I will, but is there anyone out there you do trust? Because my men here," "And women, sir" the only female agent interjected. "Yes, and my women are getting hungry. We've been here for six hours now. They need to take a break sometime," Stevens answered. "I'm not paying you to take breaks," Ned said. "You're not paying us at all." The two men stared at each other. When it came to deciding who of them had more power, it was actually difficult to say.

Moore radioed in again after not hearing from anyone in the office. "Sir?" Stevens sighed. "Get the food, but send her away. Don't open the door until she's gone." The employee smiled gently as she handed over what she had brought and promptly walked away. As soon as she was out of sight, Moore opened the door and closed it behind him. He placed the box and coffees on the senator's desk (much to Ned's dismay). Moore reached in the box and grabbed one cup of coffee and went back outside to his post. "Five minute break everyone. Dig in," Stevens said as his eyes matched with Ned's. Everyone reached for a cup of coffee and a donut, except for one. Stevens swallowed the large bite he had just taken to point to his only female agent. "You watching your figure, Agent Tran?" he asked. "Something like that, sir," she smiled as the bodies hit the floor. Outside, Moore passed the coffee to the other agent. "You know, it's kind of weird that chick's last name was Nguyen. She didn't even look Asian." "Yeah, I guess. Hey, I don't feel too well."

[Red Hood]

Jason did a quick last minute check of his supplies. Hopefully this wouldn't be as messy as he was thinking it was going to turn out to be. Many people who traveled in the same circle as him were already labeling him a villain, he didn't need terrorist added to the list. But then again Jason was working for the government, he was sure they'd clear him of anything that might go down tonight - all of this was because of them any way. Jason tugged on his rappel to be sure it was secure and then zipped his jacket all the way up before taking the plunge over the edge of the building.

There was no rooftop security, no outside security; this was a picnic for Jade. Inwardly Jason shook his head at the poor preparedness of this man trying to protect his own life but the Red Hood didn't dwell on it long, he didn't figure he had much time to spare before Cheshire got to her man and made the senator experience a very painful death. Jason rappelled down the side of the building, carefully avoided windows as he went down, his mission couldn't be compromised by some lowly intern accidentally catching glance of a man in a red mask scaling their building. Luckily for Jason the room of his desire was completely oblivious to his antics, with the curtains drawn and the outside world blocked out Jason was under perfect cover without even having to do a single thing himself.

Propped up by his boots on the side of the building Jason began to unload his equipment. One bundle of c4. Two bundles of c4. Three bundles of c4. Mentally Jason finished off his count with a Count-esque "ah ah ah". Cradling the squares of explosives carefully Jason slapped them onto the building in an inverted triangle formation, one of the packages going smack dab on the blacked out window. Once his bombs were in place Jason gripped his rappel and swung himself wide away from the building, moments later slamming into his brick side around the corner from his explosives. The vigilante braced himself and grabbed the detonator from inside his jacket. He did a short countdown in his head and took a deep breath before he detonated the c4.

Brick and glass and steel exploded, creating a reverbing tremble that shook through the entire building. The force shook Jason loose from his clutched position on side of the building but he used the built momentum to swing him back in the direction of where he'd placed his explosives and sailed right through the new entrance. Quickly he detached his line and rolled through the smoke. When he stood Jason was unsurprised to see the senator's security team on the floor. Now he just needed to grab McDowell and get the hell out of there; lure Cheshire to him. Or so the plan went.

[che]

McDowell stared horrified to see the bodies around him that for a moment, he hadn't even noticed the lone agent still erect. She caught his attention by moving from her spot to open the door to his office and dragging the fallen agents from outside in. She shut the door behind her promptly after. McDowell was at a loss for words. She removed her helmet to let down her long black hair, and ultimately revealing that she was no actual agent, but rather the assassin Jade Nguyen, aka Cheshire.

She sauntered to his desk and placed her hands on the cool smooth mahogany surface, leaning in toward him with a curious curl at the ends of her mouth. He reached for his office phone only to hear the dial tone. He patted his pant and suit pockets and realized his cell phone was no longer on his person. His beady pale blue eyes darted to the door and back to her only to see her shaking her head. Jade quickly pulled the sais from its hiding place in her black armored suit and stabbed the desk with its sharp blade inches in front of his chest. "I don't want to hear another sound from you Ned McDowell, unless I tell you to speak" she began. "You talk too much anyway, especially for a senator." She straightened up. "Judge Charles Foreman in Gotham. You paid him to rule a certain criminal not guilty back in February, didn't you?" McDowell stared at her. "Didn't you?!" she asked. He nodded. "Who put you up to it? Speak." McDowell swallowed hard. "I don't know." "You're lying." "I don't know." "Liar!" "I swear! Somebody told me if I did it, I'd get paid. They never told me their name, and they never gave me any money for it. I didn't commit any huge crime here." Jade's jaw clenched. She reached for the sais, snaking her fingers around the handle and pulling it out from the desk. "That criminal you helped set free was Lester Buchinsky, also known as the Electrocutioner, also known as the man that killed my daughter. Doesn't that seem like a huge crime to you?" McDowell was panting. He knew what was coming to him. Jade knew what was coming to him. It was only a matter of seconds before she struck. Every possible thought, threat, bargain, plea, prayer, and wish raced through his head to get out of his imminent death, but murder was too clearly written on her face. There was no way out.

Cheshire pulled back her sais and the window and part of the wall was blasted open. The explosion hurled her across the office and against the opposite wall. She knocked into it hard and fell down face first in the rubble. McDowell was saved only by his chair that had served as a shield when he was pushed off it from the blast. McDowell stood up as quick as he could through the smoke and confusion to try and use the moment's distraction as a way out. His heart sank to see a red mask man standing in his office. Was this another threat, or a savior? Cheshire's head rung badly and her body was numb. Her eyes fluttered open to see two pairs of standing legs in the room now as she tried to regain focus. As best she could, her trembling hand reached for the kunai strapped to her arm.

[Red Hood]

He landed with knees bent as he surveyed the blast area. Armored guards lay in heaps on the floor, a result of the blast Jason assumed. He needed to either get by the guards or completely take them out of the equation, surely Cheshire would have planned the same, now there was just one more step for the masked vigilante to take before getting the audience he desired. His mask made seeing through the dust and debris simple; behind a partially ruined mahogany was Senator Ned McDowell, either somewhat unconscious or totally. Either way didn't really matter to Jason, as long as the guy didn't end up dead on his watch. He wasn't truly here to protect the man but still, unintentionally killing someone was not professional.

As a precaution for the woman he knew he'd be going up against Jason was sporting all new armor It was slightly thicker, stronger. Knowing that Cheshire had a fetish for the most exotic and lethal poisons Jason needed to be one hundred percent sure that no skin was visible, nor was it reach able by her nails or any daggers she may throw his way. Hopefully the armor would stand up to its first in-field test.

From out of the smoke a body popped up and speedily ran towards Jason. Immediately he went on the defensive and prepared to toss this wouldbe attacker through the hole he'd just blow in the building. Luckily Jason was not too quick in reacting, as he noticed it was the very man he was there to gather up and keep out of Cheshire's death claws that was rushing him. "Stop!" He commanded the Senator with both hands up non-threatenly. "I'm not here to hurt you. Just keep calm. There's a woman out to kill you, I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen. Understand?" McDowell nodded slowly at first, then quickly he spun around and pointed. "She's right there!" McDowell's words sprung Jason's arm into motion and immediately he had his hip pistol draw.

[che]

Smoke everywhere, but not filling the room to the point of asphyxiation. The hole in the wall. Second pair of legs. McDowell. Lian. Cheshire blinked hard. It dawned on her she was suffering from a slight concussion. She reached for a kunai before she realized it was already in her hand. Though the gray smoke, the two figures in the office were spotted. Disadvantage Jade.

Cheshire rolled in the direction of McDowell's desk for cover. Someone with that kind of firepower on them weren't typically carrying swords. She had to assume this person had a firing weapon on them. It took her a few breaths to finally decide she was ready for a fight (despite popping an ear drum and only hearing out of her left side). She peered from behind the desk and threw the first throwing-star in the direction of the intruder. McDowell was a sitting duck. Any defense he attempted was not a concern. This other person was the danger. One kunai followed another so that three chased the intruder. She followed shortly after with double sais in hand. McDowell saw Jade make her move and he ran toward the door and away from the fight. It was jammed, much to his surprise. He didn't care about the bodies still lying about his office, or the man that was there to rescue him, or the fate of the woman who was set to kill him. He wanted to get out of his office and away from the trouble. Though it wasn't the most pressing thought at the moment, in his head, he was also considering the fact that he had a whole staff just outside his office and after an explosion like the one he just survived, not a single one of his employees were at his door pounding it down to see if he was live. They're all fired after this, he thought.

At last the intruder was identified, or at least visible. Jade was a mere couple feet from him, stabbing away at the red masked man who had kept her from murdering the man that helped kill her daughter. There was no qualms with him before this moment, but as the obstacle standing in the way of her goal, he too had to die. Cheshire's arms shot out and darted left and right at alarming speeds with her sharp blades and poisoned finger tips aiming at every weak spot she could could see on the red masked man's combat gear. All the while she avoided the barrel of his guns, keeping them clear from her and from McDowell. His murder was her doing, not this intruder's.