From the outside, The Batmobile pulls into a side alley across from a
strip mall. It rumbles to a halt and the engine turbines wind down
gradually. 

From the outside, Catwoman sits on top of a burned out building, watching
the streets below. Her eyes follow the course of the sleek vehicle and she
smiles. 

Batman flicks a few switches in some enigmatic sequence, and opens the
canopy. He steps out, muttering a command. 

You open a door, and climb outside.

Gotham: Bryanttown
Bryanttown is to put it bluntly a slum area. It was originally a working class
 neighborhood wich deteriorated due to a combination of fate and bad policy.
 Several housing projects exist in Bryanttown, which were poorly planned and
 poorly executed. Rent control and absenteee landlords compounded the problem,
 lowering the quality of the housing stock and increasing the amount of arson.
 The final blow to Bryanttown was the construction of Gotham State Prision
 on the former site of a rundown warehouse. The prison sent property
 values plummeting and drove most of the remaining decent citizenry away.
 While some residents have taken steps to improve their neighborhood,
 these steps are few and far between.
Contents:
Catwoman
The Batmobile(#1017IOaempqt)

Catwoman climbs down the building quietly.

Catwoman drops down behind Batman.

Batman stalks down the grimy corridor between two burned out HUD
buildings, making little noise save for the brief splash of a boot in one
of the scum covered puddles lining the pavement. Pausing momentarily by
the edge of one of the cracked walls, he locks his gaze on a pair of
young black men standing in front of a shabby looking house. 

Catwoman stands behind Batman, hidden in his dark aura, though her eyes
seem to glitter, like her namesake. 

Batman casually rests a gloved hand on the latch of a half-scrap fire
escape to his right. He briefly twitches back his lips over his teeth, his
cowled eyebrows lowering as he watches the two men talk in a casual and
open manner. . o O (Not expecting anything. Good)

Catwoman grins, watching behind Batman. She waits for him to make his move
one way or the other. 

Batman mutters a command subvocally. "smoke canister...arm." He creeps
along the wall, back to the burned out tenement. He seems to not notice
the Feline Fatale as he encroaches on the two young guys, taking his steps
evenly and easily. 

Catwoman follows silently, pulling her whip from its sheath in her boot.

Catwoman thinks . o O (Let's see what he wants with these small fish.)

Batman stops around 10 feet from the house and the men hanging around in
front of it. He grasps the edges of his cape, an unpleasant sort of smile
passing over his face as he sees the situation falling into place. "smoke
canister, launch" There's a sound from the alleyway where the Batmobile
rests, and two plumes shoot off from between the tenement houses, arcing
down and landing to the left and right of the gangstas. Greyish smoke
roils out around them, and the house they're by. 

His eyes lit from within as he activates heat vision lenses, the Dark
Knight Detective raises his cape as soon as he nears the two startled
youths. Somewhere in the black and grey swirling malaise, there's the
sound of two cursing voices, the ratcheting of a gun's action, and the
sudden violent collision of fist with face, and boot with stomach. 

Catwoman grins, suppressing a laugh. . o O So that's how he does the smoke
entrance. Maybe I'll get me one of those... O o . 

Catwoman trips her own IR lenses, watching.

One of the rickety windows in the house lights up from within, and there's
the sound of more trouble brewing inside. The smoke stays around the house
like a very select fog enbankment, and any activity around its perimeter
is lost in the haze to normal sight. Catwoman can make out the Batman,
however, apparently now on the ramshackle one story building's roof. 

Catwoman slips in to the fog, her whip at the ready. She expects someone
to come out any second. 

Almost on cue, a somewhat overweight kid in bad fitting shorts and tank
top kicks open the screen door, a Mossberg combat shotgun levelled off
at...well...the smoke. He lets out a short "Come and eat it, you
motha...!" and steps out onto the porch. 

Catwoman flicks the whip with practiced ease, to take the shotgun away.

There's a clattering of metal and porcelain somewhere inside the ratty
house, followed by a few brief scrams of "Its the Bat!" and the inevitable
sound of a body being put to some unknown but painful sounding violence. 

Catwoman moves in quickly to down the kid, years of training making her
moves appear relaxed. 

The gangsta gapes as his weapon is taken away, and decides that discretion
is indeed the better part of valor. He cuts and runs blindly through the
smoke, hoping to get far away, cursing his friends, his gun, and his luck. 
He gets about five feet before a flurry of karate kicks and backhands send
him reeling to the sidewalk, where he settles. 


Catwoman pats the kid on the head. "Stay. Good boy," she says, before
going in to the house. 

A short burst from a machine pistol takes off a few shingles of the roof
as the horror show inside continues. Catwoman immediately notices a
somewhat misplaced looking figure bolting for the front exit; a swarthy
looking caucasian in a clean off-white suit, panting as he runs. 

Catwoman waits until the man gets close, then straight-arms him, intending
to knock him on his butt. 

The man starts to try and change course as he sees the sleek form of
Gotham's premier cat burglar ahead of him, but the momentum is too great.
He takes the arm across the chest and falls, letting out of a brief spate
of Italian profanity. 

A thin woman in an ill fitting negligee lunges at Catwoman from a narrow
side corridor, wielding what looks like a butcher knife. 

Catwoman lets a feral grin cross her lips as she drops a knee down on the
man's vulnerabilities, the end of her whip going against his throat. "Ah,
ah, ah. Be nice." 

Batman slowly stands after taking down one of the few remaining young
turks in the combination kitchen/living room near the rear of the small
grungy abode. He walks with even steps over the fallen lamp and broken
dishes towards the front of the house, appearing in the hallway like a
lost silhouette. 

Catwoman looks up at the Dark Knight and smiles. "You know what they say
about cats bearing gifts?" 

Catwoman turns at the movement to the side, kicking out quickly at the
woman, aiming for her stomach. 

There's a slight *WHUMP* and the woman falls, clutching her midsection
after the kick connects. She drops the knife and lets out a low cry. 

Catwoman kicks the knife out the door and stands up.

Batman stops a few feet from Catwoman and her prize. "I suppose I should
thank you for that." He tilts his head to look down at the man's pained
face, reaches down to grab him by the collar. He looks over the man's
shoulder at the shapely thief. "Any reas on you happen to be in the
neighborhood?" 

Catwoman curls her whip, slipping it in to her boot. "I was in the
neighborhood. And you're always fun to be around." 

Catwoman says "So, I thought I would join in."

Batman continues holding the man up by his collar, though he
speaks..rather sternly...to Catwoman. "Mm-hmm. Well, next time, you might
want to be a bit more careful when you want to 'be around'. You're lucky I
didn't mistake you for one of them." He slants his white narrow gaze at
the man he is propping up. 

Catwoman snorts. "You can't tell the difference between me and them?"

Catwoman says "Now, I'm starting to worry about you."

Batman gives a long stare at Catwoman, his feelings on the matter evident
in his stoic expression. He mutters "If you want to talk, wait outside. I
need to deal with this one." He lowers the pale faced man a few inches and
bears down on him with his slightly bent frame. 

Catwoman grins and skips outside. She looks down at the curled up woman
and shakes her head, as she passes. 

A few minutes pass, and as the smoke settles, and the police sirens begin
to resound in the distance, the Dark Knight appears a few feet from
Catwoman, looking a little impatient. "Alright...you want to talk to me
about something specific? I'm more than a little pressed for time."

Catwoman says "Then why don't we find someplace better to talk?"

Batman points across the way to the alleyway by the Batmobile. He crosses
over, and clambers up to the only sturdy landing of the gutted tenement's
fire escape. 

Catwoman follows, scaling the fire escape gracefully. She seems to be
humming softly. 

Batman crosses his arms. "I hope this is about something more important
than your vandalizing of police property?" If he had a watch, you think
he'd be looking at it right now. 

Catwoman chuckles. "Oh, that was just to get your attention."

Catwoman says "Actually, I am offering to give you a hand, at least during
this current... problem." 

Catwoman sits down on what's left of a crate, leaning back against the
wall of the roof exit. 

Batman gives one of his trademark doubtful looks. "Seems like a lot of the
underworld seems willing to assist me in this whole situation. Is the
Joker that bad for profits, or are you just riled at having someone to
steal your press?" 

Catwoman laughs. "Like I care about getting my name in the papers? I'd
rather not. Get seen too often, people start looking for you." 

Batman doesn't budge an inch. "Then...whats your motivation?"

Catwoman says "I'll admit, I'm not offering for purely altruistic reasons.
But I am offering." 

Catwoman crosses her legs, looking up at you. "Gotham is my city, just as
it is yours. I like the balance of the place. Hell and Heaven within
blocks of each other. Luaghing Boy is screwing that up, to be indelicate. 

Batman gives a long glance at a distant street as the flashing blue and
red strobe of a police car grow closer. He relaxes slightly, gesturing at
the multi-tiered and undeniably gothic skyline of the city. "Well, maybe
you can help me, then. Or at least help Gotham....right now, I'll take
what I can get to stop him from killing. Or getting away." 

Catwoman nods.

Catwoman says "Let's face it. I'm probably the best person to watch your back."

Batman grabs a hold of the railing, shifting his weight to lean on that
arm. "He's got some sort of connection with the Cataglia syndicate right
now, primarily in the way they're increasing the pressure on their
extortion from Gotham's cinemas. I haven't peiced it all together yet, but
this current rampage is targeting the media." He gives a slight turn of
his wrist in your direction. "I think maybe you'd be most useful in
locating the main headquarters of the Cataglias, and seeing if you can dig
anything up about any transactions they may have made with the Joker or
his associates." 

You say "...Discreetly. And don't fool yourself; I don't trust you. Much."

Catwoman says "You know he's in this for his own ends, not to help his
'associates.'" 

Catwoman chuckles. "I'm probably the only person in crime who doesn't want
to see you dead. That's why I can wtch your back. But don't worry, I'll do
the digging. I know some mice who need to remember why they are scared of
a cat's shadow." 

Batman gives a slight shrug, and prepares to leaps down to the Batmobile. 
"...He's never in this for anything but the sick pleasure it gives him. 
But even he realizes he needs to do a little business to get his perverse
kicks. Don't call me. I'll call you." He vaults over the railing, and
sails down towards the Batmobile. The canopy slides open, and he lands in
the driver's seat. 

From the outside, Catwoman says "Ta-ta."

From the outside, Catwoman says "Now if he actually, had my phone number,
I'd be impressed." 

From the outside, The Batmobile roars to life again, and races out of the
alleyway. 




< <later> >

You move up to the side of the GCPD building, and enter the commissioner's
office. 

GCPD: Commissioner Gordon's Office
While somewhat small the office is a quiet spot in the GCPD which can usually
 be a jungle just like the city itself. Against one wall is a small file
 cabinet, and a coatrack. The other has a small sofa which looks used, yet
 comfortable. The commissioner's desk occupies most of the space, upon it
 usually rest a few files and other work items. There is also a wedding
 picture, and a photo of Gordon and his daughter. There is only one window
 present, and it looks out to the city below.
Obvious exits:
Window <W>  Out <O>

Gordon walks inside with his newly refilled cup of java.

A voice, edged with a little weariness, calls from somewhere in the area
of the window. "Commissioner...good. I was wondering when you'd be
available." 

Gordon looks just about ready to take a sip of his drink when he hears the
voice. He looks up "With what's been happening lately it seems I've had
everything else except for time." 

You say "Same here."

Batman paces around into view, his chin lined with a little stubble, his
stance a bit more worn down. "...Its been a bad day for Gotham,
Commissioner. A bad day for all of us. But maybe if we share our
information we can prevent things from sliding any further into the
Joker's grip." 

Gordon nods slowly, placing his cup on the side of his desk "I agree.
Though the information we have is minimal at best." 

Batman nods. "I'm afraid my own leads are few as well...I suppose you
should start, and we'll see where our lines of inquiry diverge?" He takes
a slow breath, as if trying to concentrate. He straightens up some more,
and squares his shoulders. 

Gordon nods slowly flipping through a currently small folder on his desk
"The FCC is still working on their end of the deal, still no clue as to
how the Joker is really pulling this off." 

Batman nods briefly, listening.

Batman looks down at the folder on the Police Commissioner's desk, his
expression growing a bit more stonefaced. "...how's Major Crimes doing on
this? I presume you've given the workload to them, primarily?" 

Gordon takes a seat at his desk, and looks up noding "You'll have to check
with Lieutenant Essen if you want to find out that information. So far I
have heard nothing. With conversations with Mayor Krol, and the hords of
reporters on my back I'm thankful that she's handling most of this
situation." 

Batman casually adjusts a gauntlet. "I see. I'm not sure how much that'll
do for either of us, Jim. Her opinion of me is less than sterling." He
gives a slight grimace and tilts his head. "Right now, I suppose maybe you
can pass on to her that a certain 'unnamed source' has hinted at a
connection to the Joker's current caper and the Cataglia family's rackets
on the Southside." 

Gordon raises an eyebrow "The Cataglia family.... what could they have to
gain by all this?" 

Batman adds, as if in an afterthought. "Namely, their interests in the
movie houses of that part of town...I think they know something we don't.
Something about an increased need for 'insurance' in Gotham's theatre
business. Think about it, Jim...Joker's whole ploy with the TV Stations
wasn't about money. He couldn't have made enough to cover most of the
expenses of this whole operation. He's making a statement. "Read A
Book"....put that together with the only upswing in any underworld
business since the Clarridge Diamond affair, and I see a lot of potential
threats to Gotham's movie theatres. Maybe other forms of public media as
well." 

Gordon nods slowly "Everyone is in danger as long as the Joker remains
free. Even so called partners... If this family is envolved I can have
major crimes start looking into the situation immediately, but I will not
have the department move untill we have proof."

Batman frowns, giving a dip of his head in assent. "Proof is something I'm
still working on. Your Bryanttown precinct should have a Melvin LaCosta in
custody now. He's one of the Cataglia's main business contacts in that
part of town. He didn't give me much useful information. Maybe your people
will have better luck." 

Gordon says "We'll have him sweat it out a bit in the box. See how much
time he really wants to spend at Blackgate. He'll talk." 

You say "...I just hope he has something useful to say if he does. In the
meantime, I'm still researching a few lines on the evidence I've looked at
from the KTTV crime scene. He's being unusually 'neat' with his explosions
and planning as far as the disabling of TV signals. Its almost as if....as
if he's holding back." 

Gordon hms "Could be he's waiting for an even bigger show... if that's the
case time is of the essence." 

Batman shakes his head, briefly touching his forehead. "Its the only
explanation. I just wish I knew what." He scowls a little, then gives
another nod. "I'll see about seeing what Lt. Essen and her unit are up to
on my own, Commissioner. I think you're going to have bigger concerns than
the details of this investigation. Ones even bigger than the ones you're
dealing with now."