It was the first time Grady had ever seen Nosferatu fight. For a purported scientist, in the dim light and the shadows, he moved like a serpent. One moment, tapping his foot on the ground.
The next, suddenly seemingly right in front of him, doing a backflip kick with the intent to slam it right into Corvus's jaw, landing on his feet as he swerved to the immediate right, the mask's eyes flashing bright as another kick lashed out upwards, aiming for his ear if the first move impacted. Muay Thai kickboxing, a relatively niche martial art but one it appeared he seemed to know intimately. Coupled with the systematic approach he was going for, it made for a deadly combination. The jaw, the ear target...He was seeking to disorient.
And if he managed both, that would have made things much easier to land his blows as he spoke quietly.
"This is something beyond money, Grady. I do this- I get my life back."
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The doors sealed behind Harper and the sentinel, the heat being the first thing to impact both. This particular level seemed built around the concept of a boiler room, shadows and red light giving it an eerie sensation that seemed to grow larger the longer they stayed. A sensation of something crawling up their spine, a feeling that intensified.
They were not alone.
Riddler sneered over the intercom.
"Feeling particularly feverish my friends? Everybody does. Although...Really, what else could I say about your actions, that you hadn't already revealed?"
There was a beat as he added.
"Good luck getting past this puzzle. And don't think you'll be able to cheat your way through this one! Seriously."
The intercom clicked off and a voice raspy and dark, echoed through the boiler room.
"Visitors! Welcome to MY nightmare. Hehehehehehe! The task is simple...Find the key. Before I find you."
The steam filled the air, preventing visibility to an extent... But there were four places at least to check. North where the exit was...The east section and the west...And of course, the boiler in the center of the room that acted as a hub.
@Gands @thatguyinthestore @york
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Seems there was a lot riding on tonight, if Bruce told him he had to be Batman for the night. In response, recognizing the gravity of the situation(one needed only to look in the direction of poor Cass to see for himself), he grinned and spoke.
"Hope you still keep a few suits my size-."
Speaking of protege's.
He reached a hand to grab the mug, a little off-balance as he looked into the singular eye, of someone that he felt genuine pleasure to see around here.... Odd choice of monikers nonwithstanding. In return, he flashed an easy smile and clapped a friendly hand on her shoulder. It had been a while honestly, since he had taken her under his wing at her dads insistence.... It was a decision he never regretted since. Someone like Rose had the drive and the skill to do great things with her life, like everyone Bruce had adopted into the fold. Himself, Jason- May he rest in peace, Tim...And of course, Cassandra, Stephanie, Barb, Harper- The bat family had grown into a dynasty of heroes under his vision, and that had perhaps been the most important thing he took from it.
The result stood before him.
And even to this day, he was just as proud.
Even if she kept hitting on him. That was a can of worms he was not interested in opening anytime soon, so he smiled at her and gave a shrug.
"Hey, Jason was tough, Tim's got the brains and Damien is like two tons of psycho in a half pint glass. I had to have something." :<
In this case, cocoa with marshallows and he took a sip, letting the sweet and sugary substance energize him for tonight as he he sighed out with unfeigned pleasure, raising his mug outwards.
"Thanks Alfred! Heya Cass!"
@Indolent @OrlandoBloomers @C.T.
