Prologue: Cold Heart of Winter (Nightwing)

[WildKnight]

The precinct was buzzing when Dick entered to begin his shift. Cartwright, a young and relatively honest beat cop seemed eager to tell Grayson what was going on. "Hey, Grayson, you know how there was a rumor that Luthor was coming to town? Turned out to be true. But guess what? We got word that someone is coming to town to kill Luthor, some bounty hunter called Hex. Flass went out to give Hex the old Gotham Welcome Mat." The young officer turned to go, then turned back. "Oh yeah, you wanted me to let you know if I heard anything on the streets about that guy that burned up D.A. Dent? Newsie on 34 and Crescent says he saw Zsasz, seemed pretty sure it was him. If you're still looking for that nutjob, the kid might help you out if you grease his palm a bit."

[Rinjo]

Dick entered the precinct with excitement, carrying the room with the humble swagger of someone that owned the joint or at least didn't fear the people that did.

Truly the precinct had become a second home for him, and he had started viewing some of the team as something close to distant cousins. Grayson was well-liked and had gone out of his way to forge relationships, that in another life may have even bordered on friendships. While he wasn't a policeman proper, with Bruce's connections, he had managed to integrate his private practice into the department's day-to-day ops and was called in to crack cold-cases and urgent leads.

And while this built a reputation and friendships, this also generated no end of confident rivals and upstarts, along with a half-dozen people that argued he had no right to be here at all. No matter.

Dick smiled and called out "Cartwright, the man trusted him and was known for giving him hot leads, but before he could finish his sentence Cartwright was already talking.

"A button man here for Lex? Any idea where lex is now? And what's the beat on Flass, how do I find him?

Harvey was going to have to wait, he was already laid up and that case wasn't going anywhere. Murder was murder, and Dick didn't trust Flass to do what needed to be done to stop it. For all Dick knew, Flass was on the take and providing cover.



=================

H 3/3
E 16/16

A1: Social Skills 6 (sp, law enforcement) - Keep Cartwright talking

A2:

H 3/3
E 10/16

Defense 7 Physical (3 (RD), 3 (Suit), 1 (Tough)) No 2x, No AP 2r Heat/Cold Resistant 5 Mental (In 5)

Useful Mods:   Fast Draw Rapid Recovery Vision, Enhanced 2 (Darkness)

[/b][/b]

[WildKnight]

Cartwright nodded toward the door to the precinct. "Well turns out you can find Flass right outside our humble home..."

Through the glass doors of the 13th precinct, Dick could see that two police cars had rolled up. They were the black, unmarked cars of Detective AJ Flass' notorious Major Crimes unit. Once Flass had ruled over Precinct 13, and from his extracurricular activities as the original Boy Wonder, Dick knew too well that Flass was far and away the worst cop in Gotham, the beating heart of the corruption that coursed through the veins of the force. In some ways Flass was an old guard, symbolic of a darkness that was slowly going away. Batman's influence, Dent's influence, Gordon's influence, were melting away the acceptability of Flass' way of doing things. Even Batman had never been able to make anything stick against Flass, but Dick knew that Flass had made a small fortune busting some criminals on behalf of others. His unit, Major Crimes, had once been headed by Jim Gordon, but now Gordon was using it as a dumping ground for bad cops he couldn't find a way to fire.

Flass rode in the back of one of the cars, but it was the back seat of the other that raised the hairs on the back of Dick's neck. The Batman kept extensive records on every possible threat, and Dick instantly recognized the scarred face of Jonah Hex, bounty hunter. Everyone in the precinct was in danger if Hex lost his patience, and only Dick knew how much.

[Rinjo]

Dicks heart went cold as he came to appreciate the situation. He half-smiled at Cartwright and thanked him, "Thanks for the tip Cartwright, between us, I promise.". But it was a thrown away gesture, he had already forgotten Cartwright was there. Hex was here, and with Flass, this was trouble. Big trouble and as always, fortune had brought Dick right into the thick of it.

A small surge of adrenaline hit his veins, peaking his senses and urging him to lean into the hunt. He strode confidently towards the door and was leaning beside it before the men could exit the vehicle. It was as if he had been planted there for hours, waiting just for them.



Dick despised Flass and everything he stood for and made little effort to hide it. Flass had been an-anti Greyson advocate from the moment they had met, and the two of them had more than their fair share of conflict. Despite that, Dick didn't take it personally. What troubled him most, what stuck in his maw was that he hadn't been able to bust Flass outright and pin something on him that would stick. Maybe today would be the day.

As the men exited the vehicle Dick kept the brim of his hat pulled low, obscuring his browline, not that it would make a difference. No one in the precinct dressed like Dick, in smart high fashion suits that cost several months salary for a beat cop.

"Flass, hows tricks?"

It was a challenging tone, timed to perfection. Just before the man's feet hit the first step, the challenging, accusatory tone hit his ear, making it virtually impossible for the man to ignore him and keep his "honor" intact. "Who's your new friend?"

Dick was taking a gamble, a risk by putting himself in Hex's sights. Hex was dangerous and had ways of seeing through to the truth. The threat he would be recognized was real, even like this. Still, if Hex was in town no doubt they would be talking face-to-face soon anyway.



=================

H 3/3
E 15/16

A1: Black Ops 5: Blend in/Disguise Towards Hex,

A2: Social Skills 6 (sp: Law Enforcement): Intimidation towards Flass. Urge him to believe Dick knows more than he actually does, and possibly show his hand.

H 3/3
E 4/16

Defense 7 Physical (3 (RD), 3 (Suit), 1 (Tough)) No 2x, No AP 2r Heat/Cold Resistant 5 Mental (In 5)

Useful Mods:   Fast Draw Rapid Recovery Vision, Enhanced 2 (Darkness)

[/b][/b]

[phencerx]

Flass' men had been quiet on the ride over, only telling him that they were taking him to GCPD, but that was it. It seemed as though they were tight lipped, not out of fear of Flass, but out of fear of saying something wrong to Hex. Even though he was hoping to get information out of them, Hex couldn't help but smile. It seems as though his reputation proceeded him all the way out to this concrete jungle.

Upon arrival, Hex steps out of the car and lights up a cigarette. He hears someone commenting to Flass and notices the immediate shift in Flass' demeanor and couldn't help but crack a smile at his discomfort. Looking through the cigarette smoke, he sees a kid in his 20's dressed far to well to be a cop. Interesting. Upon further inspection, he notices something different about this kid. Hex had fought a lot of people over the years and had become a good judge of their basic ability by the way they hold themselves. He had a firmness in his voice, but he held his weight as someone ready to strike at a moments notice. He could only guess, but Jonah bet this man was checking every detail around him behind the brim of that hat.

Completely ignoring Flass, Hex walks up to the kid. "Jonah Hex, but by the look of you, I'm guessing you knew that already. Besides what passes for the first real man I've seen in this town today, who are you?"


=========================
=========================

H: 3
E: 10


ACTION 01: 3 Stones into Social Skills
- Survival investigation of the new player in his sight


MODIFIERS:
Mental Defense (+2)
Toughness (+3)
Reflexive Dodge (+2)
Targeting (+1)
Resources (3)
- Bounty Hunting


EQUIPMENT:
Bowie Knife: (+2) Weapon Modifier; 2x damage
Cavalry Sabre: (+3) Weapon Modifier; 2x damage
High-Caliber Rifle: (+3) Ranged Weapon Modifier; 2x damage
Twin Revolvers: (+2) Ranged Weapon Modifier; 2x damage


H: 3
E: 7
R: 3

[Rinjo]

Watching everything unfold, Dick wasn't sure what to make of this. Hex obviously wasn't under arrest, or even being brought in for questioning. That much was clear by his confidence, and lack of cuffs. If this was an off-the-record meeting Flass was certainly getting sloppy conducting it at the precinct in broad daylight. Maybe Flass really was running interference on a hit. Even broken clocks are right twice-a-day...

"Dick, Dick Grayson." he says, smiling at Hex's forwardness. He paid him courtesy and respect with the smile, while simultaneously extending his hand.

"Interesting company you keep Mr. Hex, he nods towards the major crimes team. "You're not here just to pay them a visit are you?"

His tone was sincere. There was no accusation, or threat implied or intended. For all intents he was curious, nothing more. Inside he was focused on every breath, eye movement, and inflection. This was a mystery to unravel and a major threat to the pseudo-stability he was trying to maintain.



=====
H 3/3
E 9/16

A1: Black Ops 5: Ask the right questions, and mast motive and intent.

A2: Social Skills 4 (Sp: Trustworthy) - Keep things light and civil.

H 3/3
E 0/16

[WildKnight]

Detective Flass gave Dick a look of disgust; patrolmen were beneath the great A.J. Flass. "Grayson, don't talk to the skels. You just stick to busting hookers and pickpockets, leave the real work to real coppers, we'll both be happier. This one is going up to D.A. Chase, and he doesn't want to be kept waiting."

While Adrian Chase was the acting D.A, he was no Harvey Dent. Chase was after justice, like Dent, but Chase didn't care about the rule of law. He took shortcuts to get convictions, and gave cops like Flass a long leash. Adrian Chase was a different kind of corruption. Dick couldn't imagine why Chase would want to see Hex, but he knew it couldn't be good. The fact that Flass hadn't disarmed or cuffed Jonah Hex was also suspicious. Letting any guy walk into 1PP with guns on his hips was unheard of, and Flass seemed to know who Jonah Hex was, at least partially, so he must've been aware of the danger. What was he up to?

[Rinjo]

Mystery piled on mysteriesy. What game was Flass playing?

Dick smiled the same as he would to an old friend, "Yeah right, maybe if you're lucky I'll let you pick up my dry cleaning after the DA interviews Jonah here for your job. Let you finally serve the citizens for once.".


Looking at Hex, "If they offer you twice what he makes, I'd still walk out on em.".

[phencerx]

Jonah looks at Grayson's hand for a second before reaching out and shaking it. One of the few things his father taught him, when he wasn't drunk and beating him which was often, was that you can tell a lot about a man by his handshake. The first thing that stood out was the calluses. His tone was sincere, but he had a strong grip and continued to look him in the eyes the whole time. Something that most people shy away from.

"You can drop the Mister kid. Just in town on a bit of business and then I'll be on my way." Hex releases the grip and begins to walk inside. "Alright Flass. You've wasted enough of my time, so quit your lollygagging. Let's get inside and finally get down to business so you can tell whoever your real master is that you brought me in to see your 'boss'."

"Take it easy kid." On his way in, Hex pats Grayson on his shoulder. Underneath the suit he could feel the lean muscle. One thing was for sure, this kid wasn't a desk jockey. Another bounty hunter on the job maybe. Competition was common, but Hex makes a point to know all the players. This kid was someone to keep an eye on.

=========================
=========================

H: 3
E: 10

ACTION 01: 3 Stones into Social Skills
- Survival investigation getting further information on Grayson

MODIFIERS:
Mental Defense (+2)
Toughness (+3)
Reflexive Dodge (+2)
Targeting (+1)
Resources (3)
- Bounty Hunting


EQUIPMENT:
Bowie Knife: (+2) Weapon Modifier; 2x damage
Cavalry Sabre: (+3) Weapon Modifier; 2x damage
High-Caliber Rifle: (+3) Ranged Weapon Modifier; 2x damage
Twin Revolvers: (+2) Ranged Weapon Modifier; 2x damage

H: 3
E: 7
R: 3

[Black Sam]

"Jonah!" Jason Blood shouted with a wave as he crossed the street. 

The last time he'd seen the old bounty hunter they'd teamed up to take down a false priest in Mexico, a padre who'd been using his position of influence to infect his flock with unholy spirits. That had been messy business, but they'd parted on good terms – unlike the first time they'd met. Hex had shot him in the face that time, but Jason didn't hold it against him.

It seemed like the least he could do for Hex was to step into the middle of his latest run-in with the law, lest things get out of hand. Jason was good for bail money, at least, and he didn't particularly care if it put him on the bad side of a man like Flass. Jason was aware that he already had a mixed reputation in Gotham – half of the authorities figured him for another eccentric blue blood, the other half had decided he was a low-key gangster clever enough to stay off the Bat's radar. Stories of the Demon got around, true or otherwise, and sometimes all it took to start such rumors was glance when he wasn't paying attention to where Etrigan was looking.

"Jonah Hex, did you forget my address so soon? And you thought to check in with Gotham's finest to determine my wherabouts, how thoughtful..."+

********************

HEALTH: 4/4
ENERGY: 15/15

ACTION ONE: 4 stones into Social Skills to give Hex an excuse/alibi with the po-po (specialty: aristocrat)
ACTION TWO: 2 stones into Agility to not get hit by a car

ATTACK: none
DEFENSE: none

MODIFIERS: Healing Factor; Immortality; Magical Defense 3; Mental Defense 3; Precognitive Flashes

HEALTH: 4/4

ENERGY: 9/15
REGENERATION: 7

[phencerx]

Jonah stops midstride, not because of hearing his name shouted, but because of the voice. He slowly turns to see Jason, "Son of a bitch." While he had no idea that Jason was in Gotham these days, it was good to see the closest thing he had to a friendly face in this foreign town. Also, Jason had a depth of knowledge of the "darker" aspects of this world and could be a wellspring of information about his prey.

His choice of words was odd, but if Jason was living in Gotham, he would have a much better understanding of the lay of the land. Hex decided to play along and breaking off from Grayson and Flass, he goes to greet his old friend. Extending his own hand, "Well I haven't seen you since Mexico and I wanted to see what would make you leave God's country for this hell. How's your better half these days?"

=========================
=========================

H: 3
E: 7

ACTION 01: --

ACTION 02: --

MODIFIERS:
Mental Defense (+2)
Toughness (+3)
Reflexive Dodge (+2)
Targeting (+1)
Resources (3)
- Bounty Hunting

EQUIPMENT:
Bowie Knife: (+2) Weapon Modifier; 2x damage
Cavalry Sabre: (+3) Weapon Modifier; 2x damage
High-Caliber Rifle: (+3) Ranged Weapon Modifier; 2x damage
Twin Revolvers: (+2) Ranged Weapon Modifier; 2x damage

H: 3
E: 7
R: 3

[WildKnight]

Detective Flass stepped in, gesturing to his four officers, all of whom drew their weapons.

"Grayson, get out of here or I'll have you banned from the premises. You", he pointed to Blood with the two fingers gripping his cigarete, "I don't know at all, but unless you want to be put in cuffs, you're not part of this, so go away. Assistant District Attorney Chase is waiting to speak with Scarface here. Some people work in this town."

[phencerx]

Unfazed by the current events, Hex slowly turns to Flass. "That's twice now that you've had your boys pull their weapons on me unprovoked. You must really be in a hurry to meet your maker." Flass had tried his patience to its very edge and every bone in his body wanted to draw and show these little boys what a real firefight was, but raining down bullets and bloodshed right in front of a police precinct would be ill advised. While Jason would be fine, there were still innocents walking the street.

"Still though, I don't trust their aim to be true enough to hit me and not the other tenderfoots walking around. This here's Jason Blood. He's my", glancing over to Blood, "......council. So either Blood comes with me, or we're going to have a problem you don't want. And if you're going to try to insult me, you better come up with something better you syphilis ridden snake on stilts."


=========================
=========================

H: 3
E: 10

ACTION 01: 6 stones prepared (2 into quickdraw and 4 into ranged combat)
- Prepared to fire at the men aiming at him if things go sideways

ACTION 02: --

MODIFIERS:
Mental Defense (+2)
Toughness (+3)
Reflexive Dodge (+2)
Targeting (+1)
Resources (3)
- Bounty Hunting

EQUIPMENT:
Bowie Knife: (+2) Weapon Modifier; 2x damage
Cavalry Sabre: (+3) Weapon Modifier; 2x damage
High-Caliber Rifle: (+3) Ranged Weapon Modifier; 2x damage
Twin Revolvers: (+2) Ranged Weapon Modifier; 2x damage

H: 3
E: 10 (4)
R: 3

[Rinjo]

Dick froze. It was far from the first time he had stared down a gun. He was no stranger to violence, even before donning the cape as Robin. But this, this was different.

He wasn’t “on-duty”, he wasn’t prepared, and these weren’t criminals, at least not the conventional type. Truly, he was a nervous trigger finger from the end, and this was a lesson he wasn’t going to forget anytime soon.

Flass had been pushed too far. What was going through his mind? Whatever it was, all Dick knew was that it wasn’t about him, and that meant he could fade out of the spotlight and let this work itself out for now.

Still, Dicks muscles tensed reflexively, coiled springs begging to release, his physical training arguing with his experience in real-time. But this wasn’t about him.

While Dicks face showed concern, his body didn’t move, and he didn’t speak. His hands stuck to the insides of his pocket, and his back stayed pressed against the wall. He wasn't going to give anyone a reason to open fire.

Unless this became about him, Dick would sort this out later.

=======

On my phone...

Dick is going to let this pass without getting involved.

Afterward, he is going to attempt to hit the alley, don his uniform, and eavesdrop on the conversation upstairs.

[WildKnight]

Flass chuckled at Hex's words. "You really don't understand your situation here, do you cowboy? You think its me and these four guys against you here?"

He gestured to the buildings nearby. "Even if I didn't pick marksmen for my guys, these buildings are full of guys who love nothing more than killing guys who shoot at cops. You think I'm overconfident, that's fine. You think we're a joke because we have to chase down weirdos in their pajamas sometimes? That's fine too. Give me an excuse to give the order. You'll find out that GCPD is more than capable of dealing with one hardnose. Or you can go see what the D.A. wants you for. Your choice."

If Flass was stressed by the tension, he didn't show it.

Before anyone could escalate the situation though, a uniformed officer ran out of Precinct 13. "Somethin's goin' down at the Natural History Museum! All hands on deck, Chase says he'll deal with the gunslinger later!"

A dozen more cops poured out of the building and headed to the parking garage across the street where their cars were. Flass turned his back on Hex without a word, making a circling gesture with his finger in the air, telling his men to return to their vehicles.

Whatever was happening at the Natural History Museum, it was apparently a big deal.

Across the street, Luthor watched from the back seat of his own car, absorbing the events.