Hide and Seek [Edward, Shawty]

[Nina Stenet]

As the minutes pass with neither sight nor sound of the FBI's black cars, Nina finally finds herself breathing a sigh of relief as she drives sedately along with traffic - just another vehicle in the crowd. Of course, she realizes, she'll need to ditch this car somewhere. While it's not the Batmobile, she's guessing that the number of vehicles within Gotham that match the description of the Question's car are few, so she has to get off the streets before they can get the word out about the description of her getaway vehicle and start a proper search. She turns into what looks like a quiet neighborhood, and there finds an alleyway that doesn't appear to be often used. If the FBI and police are going to be on the lookout for this vehicle, this is probably the best she can do as far as hiding it given the circumstances.

As she turns off the engine and everything goes quiet, the extra adrenaline that was keeping her going fades and she finally grasps the full scope of the day's events. How long ago was it that she was working in her lab as usual? Several hours? Seems like days, given everything that's happened: her lab has been raided, all the research confiscated. She doubts that they'll find her all-important laptop, but if she wants to retrieve it she'll probably need help and a plan - they may keep the place under watch since she's escaped.

For similar reason, she can't go back to her apartment since Agent Tiff indicated that he'd found it. And she can't go looking for Edward directly either - if his apartment has been found and possibly other places belonging to him then he's probably deeply in hiding and practically unfindable. And she hasn't the slightest idea what's happened to Shawty - given what happened to her, Shawty could be anything from free and clear to dead. And even though the Question managed to save her from whatever would have happened next, she doesn't even have him to help her. And she can't even walk now.

For several moments she has to fight back the feeling that she has absolutely nothing left. But the feeling disappears when she reaches into her pocket and pulls out her cell phone. A part of her has to thank Agent Tiff for being such an arrogant jerk: if he'd been just a little more careful he might have thought to search her and found it. Now it's her best remaining lifeline. And having this particular cellphone makes her feel a lot better: it's the much more useful successor to a certain piece of paper she used to always keep with her.

First thing's first: Shawty. Nina has no idea what happened to her assistant, but she has an easy and harmless way of finding out. She sends her a text that simply says 'Numb fingers?' That ought to be totally unintelligible to anyone else! It might take Shawty herself a moment, but it's an expansion on the code they'd come up with so that Nina could tell Shawty what she wants her to do using nothing but her powers. She never expected to have to use it to ask the question 'Where are you?' since she can't use her power on anyone without knowing where they are, but a finger going numb in that code is a reference to a location, and which finger indicates which location. So saying they're all numb and making it a question, especially given these circumstances, should tell Shawty that it's definitely Nina and that she wants to know where she is.

While waiting for a response to that, Nina considers the other person she really wants to get in contact with: Edward. Since, for multiple reasons, she can't physically go find him, she only has one option for trying to get in touch with him at the moment; she calls New Zealand.

[Deleted]

Welcome to the first call that makes dreams come true. Please stay on the line and one of our lovely assistants will be available to assist you in any way you desire. If there is a particular agent you are looking for please press their extension now. If you do not know your parties extension please press one and an agent will assist you.

[Nina Stenet]

Pursing her lips at the phone message, Nina dials '1'. She is, however, mostly unbothered - surely Edward realized, all joking aside, that if she were to call him it would probably be an emergency. She is, after all, not Harley. And that if she's in an emergency so problematic that she's actually admitting that she needs his help, then surely it's dire enough that he'll want to know about it as soon as possible.

[Deleted]

"Hello Sweety," a woman voice could be heard across the phone. It was comparable to a southern mother that one would see at a BBQ, and if Nina could have seen her appearance she would know that she fit the stereotype quite well. She was a big white woman with curly brown hair thrown into a bun. Her name was Carla, and she ran the sex line operation, plus a few other under the table business. "Can I get ya name?" she continued, "It's protocol ya see. I can't have my darlings mixing up with people they don't want to speak with. If you don't feel comfortable givin it out I can hand you over to Diamond. She loves meeting new people. Quite spontaneous that one. If ya don't have a problem just tell me who you wish to be connected to. Just remember some of the girls are busy."

[Nina Stenet]

The pursed lips return as she listens to the woman on the other line. Her patience for this is very limited; she doesn't even want to know what kind of person would be so desperate that they'd use such a 'service'. Nor anyone who would work for one. But either this is Edward's idea of a sick joke, or the woman on the other end of the line will know what to do with her answers to those questions. "My name is Nina, and I need to talk to Edward Nigma," she says neutrally.

[Deleted]

Carla listened to the woman's response. She wasn't surprised to hear a woman's voice. Some woman who wanted to experience with a lady usually called their line first, but the name she heard at the end caused the pen she had been doodling with to stop moving. She took in a deep breath as she said, "I'm not sure I recognize that name." Mr. Nigma had made it clear how to handle those who call him. She had to check the list first and make sure the name given was someone on it. If it was they could patch it through. If it wasn't they had to admit that they were confused by the request and then offer them to someone else. Until she found the list she had to act confused, as if she had never heard the name. Carla knew her job well. Mr. Nigma wasn't the only employer who asked this of her. She pulled out her personal key and unlocked drawer. She then pulled out a list labeled Green. There were very few names on the list, but at the bottom, just recently added was a Nina Stenet.

"Hold on just a moment," Carla said with a new serious tone before forwarding the call back to Gotham.

Edward had just stepped into the passenger seat of his car as his phone began to ring. It was very rare for his phone to ring. He tried to remember the people he had even given the number to. Allen was right next to him. He highly doubted it was the Joker. Edward glanced out the window as they began to drive away from the Fairground. The Joker liked to play games, but he wouldn't call Edward so soon after a meeting. Three minutes is a little excessive. He reached into his pocket and saw it was from New Zealand. He clicked the answer button then brought the phone to his ear causally.

"Hello?" he asked, mentally going over the people he had on that list.

[OOC: Yes, I am making the meeting with the Joker in the exact same time period as the Little mouse thread.]

[Nina Stenet]

Having been jerked around emotionally too many times in the past few hours, Nina is slow to react when at first it sounds like this woman won't be able to help her. She just closes her eyes and asks herself what she'd going to do now - especially if it turns out that Shawty got arrested too. Eventually Edward would get word of her arrest and escape, but she's not sure what she can do in the meantime.

But as she mulls that over she realizes that she can hear the woman on the other end rummaging around and waits to hear what comes of it. Not wanting to get her hopes up too high, she simply waits to see what will happen when she's transferred. The voice that answers the other end of the line is like sunshine on a rainy day. "Edward!" she says, her voice full of a sudden wave of intense relief. She hadn't really been aware of how worried she'd been until that moment: she was only somewhat worried that something had happened to him and only a little more worried that something would happen to her, but when you add those two together, she'd been very worried for awhile there.

She finds everything coming out in a rush, "My lab was raided by the FBI; I was arrested and this agent put me in the back of this van, told me he'd found our apartments, and when I wouldn't answer any of his questions he shot my knee, twice, though I'll be okay; then the Question showed up, fought the agent, and helped me escape but I don't know if he was caught or not; I drove off in his car; and now I'm all alone parked in some alley. I need help." Though, actually, it's a big help to her mentally just to hear him on the other end of the line, sounding perfectly fine.

[Deleted]

Edward smiled when he first heard Nina's voice, but the smile quickly disappeared to a frown as she continued. He knew the FBI had found a few of his hideouts, but he hadn't considered Nina's to be one. There were other Arthur Wynne in the city. It is strange for the FBI to attach so much interest in Nina...then again, he doubted Nina was very helpful, which probably made them far more suspicious.

Damn it. He should have checked on her immediately. He should have taken her out of her work and pulled her into hiding. To think he actually thought she could pull off innocence with these FBI agents! This was all his fault. He should have never of let her start her own company. He should have had her on watch 24/7. He should have kept her with him at all times. He closed his eyes for a moments, as he imagined the wound she must now have. He had hacked into the database and knew what the FBI's new policies were. They were almost like a gang themselves. They followed no laws. All they wanted was results. While he was with the Joker he had debated with himself whether he just wanted to escape Gotham or bring the FBI down like the pathetic children with blocks they were. He now knew his answer.

He opened his eyes quickly then went to the GPS on their center console. He typed in the encrypted code then the tracking code. A blinking dot appeared on the screen. He estimated the time it would take for him to get there. Probably twenty minutes if they sped. He pointed at the screen to Allen, and Allen nodded, heading in the direction of the dot.

"Nina," he said calmly, but there was obvious anger in his tone. He was angry with himself. He should have fought harder to protect her. "I'm going to be twenty minutes. What you need to do is get away from the car, but also avoid streets. There should be some type of restaurant close to you. You should enter through the kitchen and tell them you just need water. I realize this sounds risky, but I have done it multiple time when I'm wounded. Most people in the kitchen are illegal themselves and hold personal grudges to authority. They should be basically indifferent to your cause. But I'd rather you be somewhere indoors then near a car that they could eventually track. If you don't feel comfortable with that catch a cab. They also don't really care for condition as long as throw in a high enough tip, but you would want to make sure you are dropped off seven blocks from my warehouse. I'll pick you up. Either one is fine, but you must tell me what you do now."

[shawty]

Shannon stepped from the Gotham Police Department, wrapping her arms around her as she peered around. She leaned against the closest pillar and took several deep breathes. Taking a moment to center herself was better than running off. She needed to get her priorities straight. That arrogant F.B.I. Man had Nina, and there was no way for her to be able to track them immediately. She shut her eyes. So now she needed to figure out what the best course of action was now.

That volley of thoughts was interrupted when her phone went off. She reached into her pocket and recognizing Dr. Stenet's number as the sender of the text advertised on the face, she opened it.

'Numb fingers?'[/i]

Instantly Shannon felt relief. It might that Nina was alright, but because she sending the message in code, she knew the woman was in trouble still. She hit the button to reply and immediately made out a reply.

'And your fingers? I'm outside GCPD, getting a cab.'

She sent it and then flagged down the guy who'd just let someone out in front of her. She pulled three hundred dollars from her purse—Nina paid her well, or rather overpaid her. “If I give you this, can I have your car? Say it got stolen, I'll leave it for your company to find. It's an emergency, sir.” The man peered at the money and then she pulled out another hundred. He got out.

She got in. She slipped on a pair of gloves she had left in the jacket from some winter and took the wheel, she began to pull out of the parking lot, waiting on pins and needles for a reply, unaware that the whole time, she was only five minutes away from her wounded and alone boss.

[Nina Stenet]

Nina ponders the anger in his voice for a moment, but it doesn't seem to be directed at her. You'd think that she'd have some ability to predict his reactions to things by now, but that's only partially helpful: she knew he'd be angry, but the unknown was which direction he'd point that anger. It could very well have been her if she'd inadvertently done something stupid, though she can't think of how she might have handled it any better.

Listening carefully to his ideas, Nina ponders those options and doesn't really like either of them. After what she's just gone through she's exhausted and the last thing she feels like doing is enlisting the help of some stranger, hoping that they'll look the other way. She's about to say so when her phone beeps. "Just a second, I got a text," she says before glancing over the message from Shawty. Outside the GCPD? That must mean... huh, so she was actually questioned by someone not totally objectionable. And not good at seeing through a liar, either - Nina smiles as she wishes she'd been a fly on the wall for that one. She quickly texts back 'Head south, will call.' and then switches back to her phone call.

"That was Shawty - we got separated when I was arrested. Apparently she's getting a cab not far from here. I'll have her swing by to pick me up, and we'll meet you seven blocks from the warehouse," she says, amending his second plan just a little to add her assistant to it. It's fortunate that Shawty got out of there when she did; she suspects that as soon as the people looking for her get their game together properly, they'll also think to grab her assistant to see if they can get any information out of her. And the thought of Agent Tiff possibly getting his hands on Shawty... no. Besides, if she's going to be hiding from this rabid version of the FBI, she wants her bodyguard with her.

[Deleted]

He frowned with the small child body guard was mentioned. Where had she been through this entire event? He puzzled over the riddle already knowing the answer.

Failing at doing the job she was hired for.

He should have killed the child and had Allen watch Nina instead. He would never have allowed such harm to come to Nina. He was far more capable then a kid who could barely reach the cookie jar on the counter. He pinched the bridge of his nose as Allen sped through the city. Luckily they had a police radar to warn them of any hidden cops ready to hand out tickets. He let out a sigh before opening his eyes. He would have to deal with the body guard. He couldn't do it in Nina's presence for obvious reasons, but he would definitely be having a nice chat.

He almost wanted to reject Nina's idea on the spot. If the kid couldn't even protect her how could Edward be expected to believe she could actually manage to transport Nina from one location to another. But he didn't feel like having the argument now so he responded flatly, "Fine. I will see you soon." He then clicked the end button. It probably wasn't the nicest thing to do to a person who had just been through a traumatic experience, but if Edward stayed on the phone with her any longer he would lash out at her instead of the true person he wanted to lash out at.

He should have been watching the camera...he should have been listening to the bugs...he should have seen what the FBI had planned. "Go towards the warehouse," he stated, his eyes locked on Nina's tracking dot.

Allen nodded and made a sharp right turn causing Edward to grip onto the door handle to prevent himself from falling onto the man's lap. "Don't kill us in the process," he snapped.

He gave a quick glare then turned back to his phone. He dialed a number he had on quite a few occasions and brought the phone to his ear.

The rings taunted him until a gruff voice greeted it.

"Hello Doctor."

[shawty]

She'd just pulled into the lane to leave the GCPD parking lot when her awaited reply came through. She only glanced it before nodding to herself and pulling onto the street, turning south just as asked. Information would soon be coming so she just drove at speed limit, waiting now for a phonecall.

At least she was alright physically. She was still in trouble, but she was still breathing. She also free enough to make calls so that spoke volumes. Shannon ran a hand through her blonde hair, feeling it catch a few times. For once in her life, there was nothing snarky being commented on in her head. She was too focused on the actual situation. She felt aware, very aware as if everything was on a delicate string. It was because she lacked information, and lacking information always made Shannon a bit nervous.

[Nina Stenet]

Really, not having to argue with Edward over Shawty is all the kindness she needs from him at the moment, so she's not at all bothered by the abrupt end to the phone call. She knows that he's just upset that she got hurt and the fact that he's so upset is... well, actually kind of sweet. She's not that upset herself at the moment. While she may still be in the same physical position she was before, now she knows that she'll soon be safe and in a position to take care of her problems, and that at least two of the other people she was worrying over are okay. And there's something about the way Edward talks as if he has everything under control that's very comforting.

Dialing a different number, she calls up Shawty, and as soon as her call is answered she says, "Hey, I need you to come get me. I'm in an alleyway off Murphy Avenue about halfway between 4th and 5th on the west side of the road. You'll actually have to come in here and get me - Agent Tiff is of the opinion that people who don't answer questions deserve to be shot in the knee as many times as he likes. I was rescued by the Question, though he might have been caught - I escaped in his car. So how have you been?" This retelling of the story is much more relaxed than the first one, and Nina's calm tone is enough of an indication that she's not in any immediate danger.

As she talks, Nina starts to prepare to leave the car, knowing that it won't take long for Shawty to arrive. She'll leave the keys inside the car - it's not a hard guess that the man either has a spare somewhere or would manage to get in even without them. The can she puts in the obvious 'hiding' place - the glove compartment. She'd tried to find as obscure a place to park as she could, so hopefully it can stay here unobserved for awhile. Given the circumstances, that's probably the best she can do.

[shawty]

She drove heading the prescribed direction until the call arrived. She simply answered and then she went silent, listening. At first she was relieved; she was less than five minutes away and had yet to pass the street she needed to turn down, but she saw it just ahead of her and she flipped on her blinker, still cradling the phone as she turned. What Nina said next, however, makes her stomach fall like a pack of lead in her abdomen. Shame rose like a bile in her mouth and she allowed it to color her face since no one else was observing. She could have done something, she shouldn't have listened to Dr. Stenet when she told her to cooperate in her subtle way. Yet there wasn't anything to be done about it, but she was worried for the woman, though she understood that she would be fine with her power helping her. She was so focused on both navigation and mentally beating herself up, more emphasis on the latter, that it took her a moment to realize she's being spoke to.

It took another moment for her voice to return to a tone that would give nothing away that she was angry with herself, “After they separated us, I guess they thought I was the lesser threat. It was my height, it always is,” she tried to joke, trying to make herself feel better, shame and guilt aren't going to do anything for her at the moment, “they transported me to the PD where you know the drill. They put me in a mute room and sent in some cute slightly vain cop. They questioned me mostly about Freeze. I spoke to them about polar bears.” She could smile at that.

“Every question they asked, I answered like I was too focused on the polar bears. I even let drop some neat little facts. They figured quickly I didn't know much or was held hostage by polar bears. I also told them that whenever you spoke to Freeze I was being watched by one of his henchmen and was in a separate room. Then they moved on to Edward, but I claimed ignorance to that; I pretended to not know that your relation went anywhere after the museum heist and some vague recollection that he may have been involved in your 'fake' death. I mean that's your personal business right? Why would I know that, because I played the whole 'I'm just the bodyguard' card. At least Edward came in handy for one thing,” she laughed softly.

She turned down another road before she let her worry seep through, “What about you, Dr. Stenet? I know you're fine, but how bad is it? How many times did he shoot you?” She knew she had some problems with the Question, the guy having had gotten past her defenses before—Shawty held grudges—but she was thankful he had helped Nina. She'd remember the next time they'd meet. If they met again.

[Nina Stenet]

Smiling to herself at Shawty's story, Nina's just glad that her assistant didn't fall into the hands of anyone more of Agent Tiff's mold. Shawty's question gets a sigh and Nina says, "Twice. The second one nicked an artery, but not badly enough for me to not be able to patch it up quickly. My kneecap's a real mess though - it'll take a few weeks to heal, even with my help. The bullets are still in there, but they'll keep for now."

Her voice suddenly takes an unusually angry tone and she adds, "If I weren't me I probably would have bled out and that bastard probably would have let it happen. I was sitting there in handcuffs, for pity's sake!" Coming from a woman who hardly has a bad word to say about anyone, the sheer amount of anger Nina's expressing is remarkable. The way she talks about Lex Luthor is practically complementary by comparison, and she hates him.

She pauses for a moment, obviously taking the time to calm herself, before she adds, "Speaking of Edward, the reason why I didn't call immediately is that I was talking to him - he's going to meet us near one of his places. You'll have to come with; as soon as they think of it, the FBI will decide you haven't answered enough questions, and they've found my apartment so there isn't anyplace else." And she's guessing that Shawty will just love hearing that.

As she talks she removes her seatbelt and gingerly exits the car, being very careful not to jar her knee unnecessarily. She makes sure that the doors are all locked before closing the door behind her, leaning on the side of the car to support herself as she waits for Shawty to arrive.