oracle_knows (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
oracle_knows) wrote2009-03-02 10:01 pm
oracle_knows) wrote2009-03-02 10:01 pm
40.1 The Trouble with Trouble is that it usually starts out like fun
Oracle unconsciously licked her lips. Assorted operations were going well. Whisper A'Daire was in custody, and Intergang were on edge. The Nemesis-Diana dance was entertaining to watch, especially with Tresser covering any slips in Diana's cover identity while pretending to be that dumb fratboy. And then there was the battle with the League of Assassins. Six in the field, but to count coup she needed three of the five - Dinah, Cass, and either Roy or Dick.
Everything seemed in position. Her five targets were exactly where she expected, and her team was all in position (other than Misfit who was about two hundred miles away eating ice cream, not that it mattered). "Operation Double Donkey in two minutes."
There was a knock on the door, and Barbara looked out, expecting Tim. Or possibly Ted. Batman or Steph being the other two possibilities. But she'd have preferred Batman in a bad mood to the serene person she actually saw.
"What do you want, Shiva?"
"To watch the show. And you have the best seat."
Ideally Babs would have told Shiva to take a hike. But Shiva clearly knew the timing and was far too dangerous to allow as backup. So inviting her in was the best option and Babs had a few little tricks to ensure Shiva didn't try anything. "I welcome you as a guest, sharing my hearth and sharing my salt."
The door opened and Shiva walked in. "There's no need for that." If anything registered in Shiva's expression, it was a touch of hurt. "You wouldn't be a fair fight. And I'm not interested in the hundred million tier A bounty for you."
Babs was glad Shiva couldn't see her reaction to that. Especially as she made the total bounty about that - seemingly her intel on what people who used assassins regularly were prepared to pay for her death needed work. She also nodded as Shiva ate a pinch from the salt pot in the lift.
The lift door open, and Shiva prowled out, making Babs instinctively reach for her escrima sticks (not that they'd be any use at all). She looked at one of the displays and grinned thinly. "Merlin. This isn't Star City."
"What? Knowing he was being hunted and trying to spring a trap. It would have worked on Green Arrow." Babs shrugged.
"But not with your cameras." Shiva sat down, uncannily still.
Babs spoke into the microphone. "Double Donkey Enter." The pun still made her wince. But suddenly there was a blur of motion on her cameras.
"Remember that you are mortal." Shiva's words chilled Babs, although Shiva simply seemed to be drinking in the screens. "People will be looking for you, and I don't like seeing an artist die other than in a masterwork."
Everything seemed in position. Her five targets were exactly where she expected, and her team was all in position (other than Misfit who was about two hundred miles away eating ice cream, not that it mattered). "Operation Double Donkey in two minutes."
There was a knock on the door, and Barbara looked out, expecting Tim. Or possibly Ted. Batman or Steph being the other two possibilities. But she'd have preferred Batman in a bad mood to the serene person she actually saw.
"What do you want, Shiva?"
"To watch the show. And you have the best seat."
Ideally Babs would have told Shiva to take a hike. But Shiva clearly knew the timing and was far too dangerous to allow as backup. So inviting her in was the best option and Babs had a few little tricks to ensure Shiva didn't try anything. "I welcome you as a guest, sharing my hearth and sharing my salt."
The door opened and Shiva walked in. "There's no need for that." If anything registered in Shiva's expression, it was a touch of hurt. "You wouldn't be a fair fight. And I'm not interested in the hundred million tier A bounty for you."
Babs was glad Shiva couldn't see her reaction to that. Especially as she made the total bounty about that - seemingly her intel on what people who used assassins regularly were prepared to pay for her death needed work. She also nodded as Shiva ate a pinch from the salt pot in the lift.
The lift door open, and Shiva prowled out, making Babs instinctively reach for her escrima sticks (not that they'd be any use at all). She looked at one of the displays and grinned thinly. "Merlin. This isn't Star City."
"What? Knowing he was being hunted and trying to spring a trap. It would have worked on Green Arrow." Babs shrugged.
"But not with your cameras." Shiva sat down, uncannily still.
Babs spoke into the microphone. "Double Donkey Enter." The pun still made her wince. But suddenly there was a blur of motion on her cameras.
"Remember that you are mortal." Shiva's words chilled Babs, although Shiva simply seemed to be drinking in the screens. "People will be looking for you, and I don't like seeing an artist die other than in a masterwork."
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Oracle pressed a button and was answered by "Here, Boss" as a redhead materialised behind her. Shiva ignored Misfit, seemingly trying to watch all the screens at once and drinking in details about the way people moved.
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"Which would you like? Jason's explosions and starting a war in Intergang, the rounding up of the LoA? I'd better keep the other op to myself. And I don't think you're fast enough to use the South Korean hackers aiming at North Korea's servers."
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