A Drink for the night ( Open)

[powermaniac184]

Lisa walked into the bar, ready for a drink. The case that she had wasn't going well, not enough evidence, not to mention being warned by the judge a few times that Lisa would be held in contempt if she continued badgering the witness. "I'll have a champagne" The bartender nodded and grabbed a glass pouring the wine into the silver thing. The bar wasn't too crowded, but it was crowded enough to smell smoke, bad beer, and men who were so drunk who believed they were actually worth anything.

Lisa grabbed the drink and began drinking. She paused and put the glass down. She came to the bar when cases were gettting hectic and she needed to relieve stress. She was making steady money, but she badly wanted to move into a better apartment that wasn't going to collapse at any minute.

She also needed an assistant, her office was organized but extra help was needed. Lisa also wanted to wash her enemies away, especially agent Tiff. No matter what she said, he always had protection. "Damn, the federal government." she mumbled. She was going to call her Uncle who was a Senator from New York. She needed to know more about P.R.O.T.E.C.T. Her friends from federal court new nothing about it. She hadn't tried her contacts in the NSA. The NSA controlled the CIA and FBI. They probably knew what was going on.

Lisa picked up her glass and again drank. She rubbed her head. She hadn't been getting enough sleep, and she didn't want to take the day off. The trial was almost over. After that she would take a day or two off.

She had made about eight hundred dollars this week alone. So a few hundred more and she would be able to look for nicer apartments, apartments with a good looking interior, with a shower, a kitchen, and a good view. Somewhere where she could relax and not worry about her cases, files, and detectives. Lisa yawned, lettting stress out of the brain.

[Joan Leland]

Joan hadn't been a regular to bars since university, she never went alone but back then at least she'd had a small social circle to occasionally drag her out to them. A social circle that was now scattered across the country and not very convenient for random trips out for a drink.

Perhaps that was why she felt a little out of place, sat at a table with a few of her coworkers and quietly sipping from her first glass of wine still while they were several drinks in already. She'd thought it would be good to go out for an evening for once, specially after a long day. Every day with the FBI looming on the steps of Arkham was a long day and feeling trapped in the city wasn't exactly calming even if she didn't have plans to leave. It was good to be out of her little flat but it still wasn't her group. They had their own jokes and preferred topics and nice though it was of them to welcome her tagging along she couldn't bring herself to be interested in which of the police officers intruding on the days work was 'dreamy'. She'd turned to people watching instead.

Lisa stuck out like a sore thumb the moment Joan saw her come in, as any professional looking woman on her own in a bar mostly occupied by intoxicated men will to someone who's paying attention. Joan saw her as an escape route though. Her co-workers hadn't noticed she wasn't paying attention, she doubted they'd mind if she had a little break from the conversation "Hey, I think I just saw someone I know, I'll be back in a minute"

She took her bag and drink and headed for the bar where Lisa sat. As predicted her group seemed fine and didn't notice at all that all she did was sit a few stools down the bar from Lisa and never said a word to her. She wasn't intending to either, she wasn't going to bother the woman just because she wanted a little peace.

[powermaniac184]

Lisa had almost finished her drink, her head shook in annoying pain. Her first drink in Gotham, smooth thing to do. Lisa began thinking about the trial, she had made the victim look like a demented puppy. Not to mention she completely tore through the Defence Attorney's defense of his client. Alot of defense attorney's were weary or nervous around Lisa for good reason.

But this defense attorney was smart and the judge seemed to feel somewhat bad for him and the client. A coolness was felt in her hands, the courtoom had air conditioning before it broke. Then the judge, warned Lisa that if she again tried another tactic that Lisa would be held in contempt. So, Lisa had to withdraw her ammo and calculate her moves with anxiousness. She peered around the room, realizing that she had parked somewhat far from the bar. "Dammit" she mumbled under her breath. The bartender who was wearing a rag that was pale as a ghost with smears on his thick moustache came over, "You alright miss?" The man's face was unsure of what had happened. "Yes, I'm fine" said Lisa who thought that everyone could hear everything, even while they're drunk. She leaned on her arm, her curled hair leaning on the brown, hard table that was sure to be old; a history indeed.

Lisa badly needed a female friend in this city. Sure, the female detectives were interesting but they didn't understand Lisa; Not many people do. Lisa hardly ever showed any feelings other than polite and sarcastic ones, and was sure to get to the point and win the legal and morale aspects of the case at hand. As Lisa was thinking about this an arguement started with three men in black jackets in the corner. They were talking about beer, pool, and darts. And that one man had cheated and bribed the other into doing something reckless. Long story short they got into a fight that ruined the wall and one of the pool tables. They were escorted out.

Men, the creature in the deep who took advantage of you and hurt your feelings. There were men in Lisa's life, but nothing more than people working on the job. Agent Tiffany, the super religious man who believes that it is his duty to rid the United States of crime and evil; A lost cause. Commisioner Gordon, a tough man with a compasionate view on justice and police work; Somewhat of a sour apple. Yet no one had asked her about her personal life. About the relationships she had with her mother or Uncle.

[Joan Leland]

"It's either a man, friends, family or work, as that covers almost everything though I'd have to steer towards work with a touch of personal" Joan was watching her. The dammit had attracted her attention all over again and she couldn't help it, she was a psychologist and the woman was clearly not alright no matter what she said.

She watches calmly, one hand holding her wine glass as her other arm rests on the bartop. The argument across the bar briefly draws her attention, the first sound of a fight and while she doesn't look scared for even a second she's cautious, watching them with a certain readiness until they're thrown out. Unless something explodes she's rarely too concerned, even when something does explode it usually doesn't rattle her anymore, it doesn't come in the job description but Arkham's escape attempts were just part of working there.

With years of practice she's developed not only a good eye for those who might benefit from a talk but also those who might accept the opinion and help of a random stranger. It helps though that she's also refined a look of just enough interest to be genuine but not too much to look like she's just out for gossip. With the men gone she returns that look to Lisa "I'm not trying to pry. My name is Joan, if you just came to drink away your problems I can leave you to it?" it was certainly more interesting than talking to her co-workers but Joan did like her work, even if she shouldn't make more of it by trying to help people she meets outside the asylum.

[powermaniac184]

Uninterested and tired from her nine hour day of work. Lisa was going to leave, when a woman introduced herself to Lisa. "No, though I usually come to bars when I need a good drink. Keeps me back in to reality. Are you here to drink your problems?" It was only polite to ask, Lisa turned her face to make sure the men had left and ordered another drink, one with less alcohol but something to keep her relaxed. The simple bartender gave her a light beer. Lisa drinks some of it with a wisk. "I'm ADA Lisa Novak, Nice to meet you?" Joan looked experienced in some sort of medical field. She seemed to analyze people like how Lisa analyzed the people she prosecuted; with concentration and expectations.

" Gotham is really in need of justice, something not even the FBI can give them" She wasn't drunk but she was talking somewhat more than she would. Alcohol reminded her of her youth and that she could make mistakes and losses. Cases were cases to regular lawyers, like a textbook assignmnet for class. But they were more to Lisa, like they were part of her moral sense of justice. It was now or never, "Are you a doctor of some type? I feel like I've heard about you. Forgive me if I'm wrong, I'm not exactly shining with happiness."

She was in a good mood for a talk, as long as things weren't mentioned about boyfriends. That subject was too painful for Lisa to talk about, especially after the recent events before she left Brooklyn Sex Crimes Unit. Her smile to Joan, faded after she thought about it, her red cheecks blended in wither her light tan skin.

[mycroftsteed]

Mycroft was pleased. He'd managed to secure himself his dream car. A beautiful British Racing Green Jaguar E-Type. His pride and joy. He kept reminding himself to have the car shipped back over to London when all this was over. He was ecstatic with the car and best of all, it was right-hand drive. A little touch of home for a deserted animal far from a concrete jungle he recognised. Mycroft pulled the car into a car park as he spotted a  neon sign from outside the front window. "Pop in for a crafty one, me thinks" Mycroft said to himself as he turned if the engine and began to rub his hands together. He opened the door and stepped out of the car. Mycroft was not too dressed up, well he didn't think so anyway. He was wearing his iconic shirt and braces combination but with lack of a tie and with a more floral, Hawaiian style shirt. He grabbed his blue two piece suit jacket and slid it up his shoulders, flicking the clothing into place as it reached the top. He grabbed his wallet from the glove compartment and walked towards the bar. 

The bar was okay. Nothing worse than Mycroft's local back in London but not exactly The Savoy either. He surveyed the whole bar before proceeding to the counter. He lifted up his trousers and sat on a plush, red leather bar stool, still overlooking all the patrons in the bar. The bartender creeped up behind him and asked for his order. Mycroft spun round and put in his best Sean Connery impersonation accent. "Martini. Schaken, not Sctirred". The bartender gave him and unimpressed glade to which Mycroft followed with a frown "Okay... Harvey Wallbanger please" Mycroft pulled out a $20 bill and handed it to the barkeep. 

"You ain't from round here are ye?" the barman questioned as he returned with Mycroft's drink. "No" Mycroft replied as he tipped the drink towards his mouth. He spun back around on his chair and survey the bar once more, drink in hand. He scan the room a few more times before he recognised a face in the corner. He squinted to the face between the crowded and recognised it instantly. "Lisa Novak" he mouthed to himself as he sought her out from across the room. He also saw another woman sat with Lisa and quickly spied their location. Mycroft stood to his feet and walked calmly over to the two ladies table. "Excuse me" he said on arrival "But aren't you Lisa Novak, the lawyer from the Rebecca McNeal report from the Gotham Gazette?" 

[powermaniac184]

As Lisa waited for a response, this man came up to here, he had a british accent and he dressed like a man in a 007 movie. "Yes, I'm a senior assistant district attorney for Gotham City. Rebecca is a friend of mine. And yourself?" The man just seemed to be enthralled, maybe he was attracted to Lisa, many men were, but she had no intention of going out with a man soon, she just got on the job. She drank her beer again, then looked at Joan for a response or introduction perhaps.

[Joan Leland]

Joan still had about a third of her first glass of wine left, she came to get out of the house for a bit, not forget the evening. She smiles faintly at the idea of drinking her own problems away "I prefer to handle problems over avoiding them" she does by habit sound a bit like a doctor "I'm just here for a bit of socialising" she gives her co-workers a glance, for someone who's out socialising she's a long way from her apparent friends.

Lisa's introduction results in a faint look of surprise, Joan could certainly guess that she was some sort of professional but she hadn't yet had enough information to guess just what sort "You'll be new in town then, or at least I heard we had a new ADA. Gotham is difficult and the FBI are, well...I'm sure they're doing what they believe is for the best" it worries her but she holds her tongue rather than question the law.

Another small smile appears as Lisa guesses her profession, at least she wasn't attempting to hide it "Doctor Joan Leland, I'm a psychologist at Arkham. If you've heard of me I would be surprised though" certainly she's been in court in the past giving her professional opinion on people and there were a couple of minor brushes with the press on behalf of the asylum but Joan still flies pretty quietly under the radar.

The arrival of the English man proves a mild distraction and slight amusement with the bad Bond impression, until he talks to Lisa anyway and becomes a larger distraction. Joan takes the moment to sip from her wine and curiously listen, glancing the man over.

[powermaniac184]

"Well your correct in that rumor. I am new, but I'm ready to revamp this city into something on the level of Manhatten law" Lisa had heard about Arkham, and had recently been there she was talking with the Joker, a crazed sociopath. "How is Arkham? Is it doing well with all the FBI things?" Lisa took another sip of her beer. She glanced to the british man who was sitting next to them.

As Lisa was waiting for another response, the three men came back in and started harassing a woman who was near the destroyed pool table. The arguement was quiet then turned loud as they started fighting, then the man started grabbing her violently. Lisa took out her blackberry and texted the cops, sending the address. After that she put the phone in her purse, she had two bars of power left. It wasn't soon after she put the phone away that cop cars pulled up and the man and woman were taken into custody. Lisa glanced back at the scene, the detective saw her and nodded walking away and driving the car off. "How do you treat patients like the joker, Ms. Joan?"

As Lisa was waiting her purse was knocked over accidentally, the man didn't even pick it up. A picture of an attractive man and Lisa at a baseball game was thrown on the floor. Lisa grabbed the bag but didn't realize the picture had fallen.

[Joan Leland]

Joan's attention diverted back to Lisa "If law could be brought easily to Gotham I would be surprised but if it helps even a little then perhaps we might at least have the odd weekend off" she sipped her wine again, eyes scanning the bar as she considered the FBI's activity. She didn't approve, the people in Arkham were criminals certainly but they were also patients. On the other hand this was the government and perhaps their resources to hold onto the worst of the bunch would be greater...then again it might just be cue for the inhabitants of Arkham to jump ship and leave them with a few job vacancies and a more open floor plan until they rebuilt the walls again "Very few people enjoy the idea that criminals should be helped because they're insane, when that criminal has blown up part of their city you can't really blame them. The FBI...they have many ideas, we'll see which of them do more good than harm" there was an answer somewhere in the vagueness but not disclosing too much information on Arkham was quite the force of habit.

As the fight starts up again Joan started to raise from her seat and also reached for her phone, only to leave it in her bag as Lisa handles informing the police and trying to break up the fight is left to those in a bar more in a position to do so, namely the people who threw them out to begin with. As the police arrived she relaxed a little but raised a hand to stop Lisa for a moment as she asked about the Joker "I'll be just one minute" she left her drink and bag on the bar and walked out the door to talk to the police and after a persuading the officers she talked to the woman who'd been involved. It was about ten minutes before she returned to the bar having checked the woman was alright and offered a card in case she wasn't later.

She headed back to rejoin Lisa, stooping on the way to pick up the picture as she spoke, clearly still remembering the question "The Joker is handled with extreme caution and a constant reminder that he's smarter than he likes to pretend to be" while she'd spotted the picture from halfway across the room she didn't see who was in it until she'd picked it up and as it was clearly Lisa she placed it on the bar to return to the woman "Boyfriend?"

[powermaniac184]

Lisa listened with good intentions, though she did look over and see Joan talking to the officers then the people fighting. She was a negotiator, though she was doctor in pyschology. She listened to when Joan brought up the joker. Yes she would agree on that after visiting him in Arkham that one damned night. He wasn't insane but out of control under that homicide demeanor.

Then Joan picked up the picture with Chris, Lisa felt embarassed and snatched the picture. "He was my ex Fiancee, I have bad memories." She felt bad about snatching it. But she didn't want to talk about it, she already had enough on her mind, she didn't need old dead people haunting her. They do enough haunting as it is already.

[Joan Leland]

Joan's reasoning for talking to the woman with the police was simple, the woman seemed to have been attacked rather than in the fight, a matter she naturally mentioned to the police before checking to make sure the woman wasn't scared out of her mind. The men who did the attacking got no help from her, if their sanity was brought into question then she'd be concerned enough to find out about them but for now her assumption was violet, rather drunk thugs.

She showed faint surprise at Lisa's reaction to the picture but considered that there were many reasons for her to carry around a picture of an ex fiancée she didn't want to be reminded of. All of them were bad reasons of course. There was also something oddly familiar about the man in the picture too but she couldn't place the idea and dismissed it quickly. She regarded Lisa quietly for a moment as she picked up her wine again and decided the best course of action which mostly came down to whether it would be meddling to try and help "I'm sorry to hear it didn't end well" she finally settles on, a nice safe response as it is.

[powermaniac184]

Lisa drinks her drink with cool intentions. She doesn't know why she keeps a picture, maybe for lack of closure. But she just wants to relax and talk about something interesting. "Anyway, anythine new with you?" She was now interested on Joan, for the sake of her sanity with that picture. She removed those thoughts and shut them down, turning off the lights.

She waited patiently.

[Joan Leland]

Joan's response was a show of curiosity, an eyebrow raised and she studied Lisa carefully for a couple of seconds before replying "Compared to half an hour ago when we met?" she decided the picture was probably distracting the woman and clearly she wasn't ready to talk on it, particularly when Joan was practically a perfect stranger in a bar. So she humoured the lapse in attention and answered the question anyway "Well there was the barfight, talking to the police and I believe my colleges will probably require driving home" she glances back to them, still drinking and laughing though one had split off to try and chat up one of the people who had been involved in trying to break up the bar "I think I'm starting to remember why I don't come out a lot" Joan smiles lightly, despite her words she seems in good humour about it.