Not So Bad

[Midnight Maiden]

"But... but... but what about the Knight, boss? You saw what he did to Jimmy. He nearly did that to you, too. Is it really worth doing all this to draw the Bat out if he might show up? We don't even know if the Bat is even still here!" A quaking henchman spoke to the leader.

Two-Face rounded on the man, blowing his brains out. "Anyone else want to question me?"

"Look, guys... the Knight ain't got me worried, and he shouldn't worry you, either. He used to run with Scarecrow. Why the Hell would he come after us?"

"Besides... even if he did show up, we'd just shoot him! What the Hell is the prick gonna do now that he's abandoned his army to that idiot assassin?"​

Ridley wasn't really one to find eavesdropping enjoyable(though she'd lured many people into telling her anything she wanted to know on multiple occasions), but this conversation was certainly interesting. So, she kept listening in.​

 

[BarrenThin]

Ridley wasn't really one to find eavesdropping enjoyable(though she'd lured many people into telling her anything she wanted to know on multiple occasions), but this conversation was certainly interesting. So, she kept listening in.​

"Alright, you idiots; get back to work, before I let the Coin decide if you even get to walk out of here!" Two-Face threw a small coin up. Both sides were Heads, and one was heavily burnt.​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

"Alright, you idiots; get back to work, before I let the Coin decide if you even get to walk out of here!" Two-Face threw a small coin up. Both sides were Heads, and one was heavily burnt.​

"..."

This guy's crazier than me. Ridley decided to turn back, for now. After meeting a man totally resistant to her, she wasn't sure risking that happening with a gang of thieves was the best idea. And, for whatever reason.. She had a feeling she'd likely see the weird man again.​

 

[BarrenThin]

"..."

This guy's crazier than me. Ridley decided to turn back, for now. After meeting a man totally resistant to her, she wasn't sure risking that happening with a gang of thieves was the best idea. And, for whatever reason.. She had a feeling she'd likely see the weird man again.​

She would have the same options as before. However, she could also see a large building with the sign SioniS Steel Mill out front.​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

She would have the same options as before. However, she could also see a large building with the sign SioniS Steel Mill out front.​

Ridley decided to head for the SioniS Steel Mill.​

 

[BarrenThin]

Ridley decided to head for the SioniS Steel Mill.​

There wasn't really the sound of steel working inside, that was for sure.

The sounds were mostly muffled talking. There was no sign of Jason yet.​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

There wasn't really the sound of steel working inside, that was for sure.

The sounds were mostly muffled talking. There was no sign of Jason yet.​

Oh.. Right. That was why the steel mill had sounded familiar; one of the thugs that'd come after her had mentioned it to Jason. So, this was where that Black Mask guy was..? Hm. It looked like the only question left now was.. To meddle, or not to meddle?

For Ridley, the answer was always the former.

So, quietly, Ridley started inside.​

 

[BarrenThin]

Oh.. Right. That was why the steel mill had sounded familiar; one of the thugs that'd come after her had mentioned it to Jason. So, this was where that Black Mask guy was..? Hm. It looked like the only question left now was.. To meddle, or not to meddle?

For Ridley, the answer was always the former.

So, quietly, Ridley started inside.​

The first sight she was met with was a darkly lit, wide open room. The were several armed men patrolling, but none were nearby. Towards the center, several people were processing what looked like Cocaine.​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

The first sight she was met with was a darkly lit, wide open room. The were several armed men patrolling, but none were nearby. Towards the center, several people were processing what looked like Cocaine.​

Jeez.. That was a wonderful sight to walk into. Ridley had a feeling that just walking in openly was a bad idea, so for now, she just tried to assess the situation.​

 

[BarrenThin]

Jeez.. That was a wonderful sight to walk into. Ridley had a feeling that just walking in openly was a bad idea, so for now, she just tried to assess the situation.​

"You don't think the Knight's gonna show up, do ya?"

"I hope he does. Then we get up say we killed the Knight. I think Black Mask would give us a raise. Hell, maybe even make us lieutenants."​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

"You don't think the Knight's gonna show up, do ya?"

"I hope he does. Then we get up say we killed the Knight. I think Black Mask would give us a raise. Hell, maybe even make us lieutenants."​

This little tidbit caught Ridley's attention. The rioters had called Jason knight.. And he'd said something about being the only defender of the city.. So unless there was another Knight, it seemed he was the talk of the town villains.. And that they all had bad plans for him.

Hm.

Once again she decided to listen more. Maybe they had some valuable information..​

 

[BarrenThin]

This little tidbit caught Ridley's attention. The rioters had called Jason knight.. And he'd said something about being the only defender of the city.. So unless there was another Knight, it seemed he was the talk of the town villains.. And that they all had bad plans for him.

Hm.

Once again she decided to listen more. Maybe they had some valuable information..​

"Uh... any of you guys ever seen the Knight?"

"Oh, uh, well... no."

The men missed a muffled gurgling sound from across the room in their conversation.

"All I know is he imitates the Bat. Got this huge grudge with him. Sure went all out to kill him under Scarecrow. But then he just up and vanished. I hear the Bat may have killed him."

"Don't be stupid. The Bat don't kill people."

"He killed Joker."

"You kidding? No way he's really dead. He's hiding somewhere."​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

"Uh... any of you guys ever seen the Knight?"

"Oh, uh, well... no."

The men missed a muffled gurgling sound from across the room in their conversation.

"All I know is he imitates the Bat. Got this huge grudge with him. Sure went all out to kill him under Scarecrow. But then he just up and vanished. I hear the Bat may have killed him."

"Don't be stupid. The Bat don't kill people."

"He killed Joker."

"You kidding? No way he's really dead. He's hiding somewhere."​

This was getting more and more interesting by the minute. The Bat? The Joker? Scarecrow? They all sounded like something from a cheesy horror movie. Little did she know she may as well have been in a horror movie right now.. Though it wasn't cheesy at all.

The gurgling sound wasn't missed by Ridley, and she cautiously started in that direction. If she did happen to be spotted.. At least she had her trigger ready.​

 

[BarrenThin]

This was getting more and more interesting by the minute. The Bat? The Joker? Scarecrow? They all sounded like something from a cheesy horror movie. Little did she know she may as well have been in a horror movie right now.. Though it wasn't cheesy at all.

The gurgling sound wasn't missed by Ridley, and she cautiously started in that direction. If she did happen to be spotted.. At least she had her trigger ready.​

One of the armed guards, eyes wide with horror, was lying on the ground, blood gushing from his slit throat.

"Hey... has anyone seen Joey? Joey, you okay?"​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

One of the armed guards, eyes wide with horror, was lying on the ground, blood gushing from his slit throat.

"Hey... has anyone seen Joey? Joey, you okay?"​

Ridley had a slight feeling she knew what had happened to the guard.. Or, rather, who he had happened upon. Silently, with a single lick of her lollipop, she willed the remaining men to ignore the area his body laid, and to stop thinking about him. She just hoped they wouldn't be resistant to her like Jason had been.
​

 

[BarrenThin]

Ridley had a slight feeling she knew what had happened to the guard.. Or, rather, who he had happened upon. Silently, with a single lick of her lollipop, she willed the remaining men to ignore the area his body laid, and to stop thinking about him. She just hoped they wouldn't be resistant to her like Jason had been.
​

The Skull-wearing men certainly weren't like Jason. They went back to talking. One took a snort of coke when he thought no one was looking.

A man in a white suit and wearing a similar mask came out of what may have been an office.

"Status report?"

"Everything is good, boss. Production is gonna meet quota."

There was a very quiet scream near Ridley. It was suddenly cut off. Jason was nowhere to be seen, though.​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

The Skull-wearing men certainly weren't like Jason. They went back to talking. One took a snort of coke when he thought no one was looking.

A man in a white suit and wearing a similar mask came out of what may have been an office.

"Status report?"

"Everything is good, boss. Production is gonna meet quota."

There was a very quiet scream near Ridley. It was suddenly cut off. Jason was nowhere to be seen, though.​

If Rid were anyone else, she probably would've sighed in relief. But, this was Ridley; confident and proud. She didn't doubt her ability at all.. Okay, maybe just a little. As to the man in the mask... She blatantly ignored him, and instead, glanced in the direction of the scream. She wasn't worried about it at all.. If maybe a little curious.

Suddenly, though, something occurred to Rid; whether or not Jason showed up.. She could handle this quite easily, considering these men were as weak-minded as all the other mortals she knew, as far as she was concerned. She'd give it a few more minutes.. And if Jason didn't show, well..

She had a plan.​

 

[BarrenThin]

If Rid were anyone else, she probably would've sighed in relief. But, this was Ridley; confident and proud. She didn't doubt her ability at all.. Okay, maybe just a little. As to the man in the mask... She blatantly ignored him, and instead, glanced in the direction of the scream. She wasn't worried about it at all.. If maybe a little curious.

Suddenly, though, something occurred to Rid; whether or not Jason showed up.. She could handle this quite easily, considering these men were as weak-minded as all the other mortals she knew, as far as she was concerned. She'd give it a few more minutes.. And if Jason didn't show, well..

She had a plan.​

There was a light clicking, then zipping sound overhead. She would have to really listen to hear it. "Holy s-" The screaming man was suddenly cut off.

"... What was that?"

There was a chorus of 'I don't know's in answer to the question.

"Well, go find out!"

"Yeah, boss!" The thugs started spreading out.​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

There was a light clicking, then zipping sound overhead. She would have to really listen to hear it. "Holy s-" The screaming man was suddenly cut off.

"... What was that?"

There was a chorus of 'I don't know's in answer to the question.

"Well, go find out!"

"Yeah, boss!" The thugs started spreading out.​

Now this was getting fun. Ridley watched the group quietly, gold eyes glinting ever-so-faintly in the darkness. Not so fast, boys.. With another lick of the lollipop, she willed the men to do just the opposite of what they'd been told; stop dead in their tracks. It was a good thing controlling masses of people at once was easy for the Siren to do.

And, just for the hell of bringing a little more chaos and distraction... She decided to try to will one of the men to shoot another in the shoulder. And, another one in the kneecap.​

 

[BarrenThin]

Now this was getting fun. Ridley watched the group quietly, gold eyes glinting ever-so-faintly in the darkness. Not so fast, boys.. With another lick of the lollipop, she willed the men to do just the opposite of what they'd been told; stop dead in their tracks. It was a good thing controlling masses of people at once was easy for the Siren to do.

And, just for the hell of bringing a little more chaos and distraction... She decided to try to will one of the men to shoot another in the shoulder. And, another one in the kneecap.​

Screaming. Gunshots. Cursing. It devolved into a firefight that left Jason, grappled to a wall above Ridley, stunned. Had she made them do that?

Mask was running.

A bullet through the Lumbar part of his spine put a stop to that. Jason dispatched the other thugs and dropped from the darkness next to Black Mask.​