A Long Walk Home (OPEN)

[rachel]

Rachel looked up from her desk. The place was usually empty, but it seemed even more so, since she was probably the last person to leave for the day.. She glanced at the window, and was surprised to see it was dark..where had the time gone? One minute, she had sat down to study older case files she was going through, and the next, it was almost 10:30 at night..

Rachel stretched, feeling stiff muscles in her back and arms, and a sore spot in the back of her neck. Rubbing it to ease the dull ache, she re-organized the papers that had scattered over her desk, and put them in their respective folders. She didn't really have much to do these days, since the FBI was in control now. With a sigh, she stood, going to the filing cabinets and putting the old forgotten case studies inside. Closing the drawer, she clicked off her desk lamp, and picked up her jacket. It had been chilly when she had walked into work earlier..it was bound to be colder now that the sun had set.

She stepped outside her office door, locking it, and headed to the main lobby doors. Once outside, she paused, breathing in the cold night air. She debated her choices for getting home. She could call a cab, or take a bus or the train, but she wasn't in a hurry to get home. After all, home was dark, quiet, and empty. No-one was waiting for her. She could take as long as she wanted..

Rachel turned to lock the doors, pulling out her keys and fitting them into the lock. Having finished the last bit of work for the day, she headed off down the sidewalk, her mind wandering like her feet..

[jokerforever]

Scourge had simply been wandering all night, his mind set only on finding decent prey a predator lime himself could have fun with. The cool night had been rather slow. No one was out much in the bitter cold, and if they were, they certainly were not alone. The beggers that looked up at him, their eyes shining with fear, show no promise or beauty, so he had left them alone, ignoring them completly. They were far beneath his concern. Occasionally, however, he got bored and decided he had gone long enough without the sight of blood. So he would kill the beggers at random as he went along, depending on his mood.

As the night grew darker, veiled in ebony, the frigid air became even colder, and gentle flakes melted into the fabric of Scourge's jet black robe. He ignored the wetness and continued on, leaving his sanctuary far behind and heading into the more industrial side of town. There was likely to be more then a few people leaving work.

It was just his luck that he had spotted Rachel, walking home from her office. He watched her, sapphire eyes intent on their prey. He didn't fear being seen as he blended in perfectly with the sanguine shadows, especially with his ivory, clawed gloves warmly concealed beneath his flowing black robe. He barely moved, except to follow her, which was about all he was really doing now.

Finally, when he was sure she thought she was safe, he made his move, closing in as quickly and silently as possible. He came up from the shadows behind her and silently pulled a dagger from beneath his cloak. It took only moments for him to strike. He reached forward and dug the claws of his left hand into her shoulder, jerking her back against his chest, and held the dagger firm to her neck.

Crimson rivulets rose deliciously around his claws, sinking into the fabric of her clothing and sending warm steam up into the cold air. It ran down her arm and pooled on the ground. Each one of his claws were about five inches in length, making the wound quite deep.

"Hello sweetheart." He breathed in her ear, holding her steady against his warm body. "A girl like you should no better than to walk out at night so alone. Now your going to pay the price." He giggled, smiling deviously and pressing the blade against her neck until a line of red dribbled away from the dagger. She was so close to death. He could kill her so easily. But he wouldn't. He hadn't had his fun yet.

[rachel]

Rachel had simply been walking along, her mind lost in memories, barely even acknowledging that it had started to snow. All of a sudden, she was grabbed, and searing pain dug into her left shoulder. She cried out involuntarily, both in shock and pain. She was jerked back against the chest of her attacker..a man, by his voice. He was warm...almost too warm...her mind was again distracted...blood was running down her arm...how much was she losing? The night lighting and the dark fabric of her shirt made it hard to tell..But it hurt....

A knife was at her throat. Her Taser was in her purse..but..her arm wasn't really in any condition to be used. And it was still held captive anyway.. Her heart pounded as she felt him pull her closer, holding her against him so she couldn't move. Couldn't....move.. She fought the rising panic. She had to focus...had to.. There had to be a way to get out of this situation.. But no courtroom argument, no drama whatsoever in her career had dealt with anything like this person..

The knife drew blood..she could feel it slip through the skin, a twinge of pain there too, added to the agony in her shoulder. Blood..more blood.
"Who...Who are you?" she managed to ask, keeping her voice level, a little shaky, but still sounding collected and calm. "What do you want?" She had to stay calm...had to...but that resolve was already thin from work and the events that had been going around the political/industrial rumor mills.. She was scared...

And this revelation scared her even more..

[jokerforever]

He laughed again, his tone sinister and foreboding. He could almost taste the panic this poor girl was trying to choke down. He wondered how much more it would take to break her. At her question, his silly grin widened, and he spun her around to face him, hooking up her purse and flinging it to her right. It landed several feet away. But Scourge wasn't interested in her wealth. No, he was interested in something much more personal.

"My name is Scourge." He seemed to purr, stroking her cheek with the bloody claws of his left hand. The knife was still pressed to her throat. "And I want you." He giggled, then drew her closer, and he could feel the heat from her body. Carefully, he leaned forward and his lips brushed lightly across the delicate surface of her own, his breath hot on her pretty face. "I always get what I want." He explained as he leaned back, studying her.

[zach]

Floyd had heard about this girl named Rachel Dawes. And a contact of his had claimed that she might know something about how to find this Poison Ivy girl he didn't think she did, but it was worth a shot. So he found out where she worked and waited across the street for her to come out. He was still a little tired from the breakout at Blackgate so he didn't plan on being scary. Hence the reason he had now firearms and was in civilian clothes.

He saw her come out and he started to follow her. Staying across the street. He kept back far enough as to not be noticed.

That was when he saw a black figure jump her. He didn't want her to die. Not if she knew anything about Poison Ivy. So he crossed the street and picked up a pipe he found in an alleyway. He then quietly snuck up behind the figure and said.

"Hey buddy" Just as he swung the pipe at the figures head. He sure hoped he hit him and knocked him out. He was tired right now and didn't want a fight.

[rachel]

Rachel stiffened at the dark, foreboding laugh. The situation was worse than she had originally believed...he wasn't playing around.. Not like usual thugs around here did...he was after something else...

She gasped as he spun her around, her shoulder flaring in pain, blood still flowing, soaking her sleeve and arm. She wasn't sure how bad the cut on her neck was, but if things kept going like this, blood loss would be very bad..the knife's blade was still at her throat..her skin was protesting the sharp edge..

Her mind was brought back into abrupt focus by his voice..Oddly enough, it was almost a purr...a sinister, alarming one.. He...Scourge.. was stroking her cheek with bloody claws.. She blinked, her mind almost struggling to keep up with everything her eyes were seeing. She realized her purse was gone..but he wasn't looking towards where he had thrown it.. She bit her lip, her mind racing. He wasn't after money...he was after only one thing, then...

She struggled just slightly as he pulled her close, uncomfortably aware of the warmth from his body, and the grip he kept on her, not allowing any movement. She hated...loathed...feared inability to move..Although she would never admit it. She shuddered as his lips touched hers, and tried to pull back, very aware of the knife still against her throat.

Composing herself as if she was in the courtroom once again, she simply looked at Scourge, eyes unreadable.
"You always get what you want, Scourge? Then go find someone who will give it to you..." Her heart was pounding, but she was no longer focused on that..

A voice from behind Scourge startled her, causing her to move a bit. She grimaced, knowing the knife would probably do more damage because of the involuntary reaction. A pipe swung at Scourge's head. She prayed to anyone listening that it would hit it's mark....

[jokerforever]

Scourge almost wanted to laugh, but he didn't, pretending to be completely oblivious to the man behind him. He didn't need noise to tell him someone was there. After ten years of training, he could simply sense it. He felt the rush of air against his back and spun to his right, the knife jerking across Rachel's neck as easily as a knife through jelly, splattering the ground with blood. Hopefully, it wouldn't kill her. He hadn't had his fun yet.

The pipe, with nothing to stop it, arched through the air right at the poor, assaulted Rachel who could barely do anything to stop it. But Scourge didn't see if it slammed into her or not, nimble on his feet, he had darted around Deadshot and was now facing his exposed back. Taking several, quick leaps away, he pulled out two throwing knives from his robe and flung them at Deadshot, each one aimed for his upper back.

[rachel]

Rachel's mind was spinning..Things were happening way too fast now..her body was trying to cope with loss of blood and the emotions and processing everything that was going on. She felt the knife slip across her neck, and she gasped in pain. Staggering backwards, she just barely avoided a pipe that no longer had a target, as it's previous mark had moved quickly.

Clamping a hand to the cut on her neck, which had already colored the ground with a red spattering, she tried to move away, to find a spot to sit...her head was heavy..her arm was burning...

She staggered against a wall, a short distance away, which was all she could manage..she hoped the shadows would be enough refuge until she could get up again..

[zach]

Floyd was relieved that he didn't hit Rachel. She needed to be alive and well to answer his questions, he kept spinning and threw the pipe at the figure. He saw the knives at the last second and jumped to the side. One missed him, but only just, the other hit him in the shoulder. He winched in pain and pulled it out. He threw it to the side thinking it wasn't a good idea to throw it back at the figure.

He stood where he was ready to fight. He wasn't in the mood for it at the moment. But if he had to..... He had to. He smirked at the figure.

"So who do you think you are? The Bat?" He ask. Knowing that this wasn't Batman..... Batman didn't kill......

((Sorry it took me so long to get back.))

[jokerforever]

"The Batman?" Scourge sneered, amused. "Whatever gave you that idea? Would the Batman do this?" He asked with a laugh, spinning around and jerking his pants down, his very bare bottom exposed against the frigid night's air. Giggling, he pulled his pants back up and skipped away a few steps, just in case.

"Listen little ogre, that girl is mine. I don't know what you want with her, but I found her first, your not going to spoiler her before I do." He snarled fiercely. Perhaps they could come to an agreement, perhaps not. Either way, unless Batman showed up, who was really the only person that exceeded Scourge in combat skills, Rachel was doomed to face the fate Scourge had in store with her. Maybe this man would take what he wanted and leave her to Scourge. Surely he would rather compromise then fight?

[zach]

Floyd looked at the strange figure.

"Ok...... Your no Batman." He said and then stood where he was silently. Floyd looked at the figure and he wanted to look at Rachel but he figured that looking away from this..... Guy? Would be a bad idea.

"Sure lets make a deal." He said with a smirk.

"You give up and I go with the girl." He said with a chuckle.

[jokerforever]

"That's not going to happen." Scourge smiled, then dropped his robe to the icy ground, revealing jet ebony armour strong enough to stop a knife, as well as an impressive assortment of explosives and weapons. One in particular was strung over each shoulder. Scourge pulled them off and fitted the two peaces together to form a massive jet black longbow. Then from the quiver that hung at his side, close to his belt, he pulled out a steel tipped arrow with a long black shaft fitted with raven feathers.

Smiling, Scourge strung the bow and fitted the arrow butt end to the string, pulling it back with forefinger, middle finger, and thumb. The bow had a draw weight of about eighty pounds, and the arrows shot at a blinding speed that was rarely avoidable. He aimed the fully drawn bow at Deadshot, aiming for his chest.

"Make a better offer or die." Scourge warned firmly, ready to let the string slip and the arrows fly. He knew how unlikely it was to miss, especially with such a large target, and with ten years of practice, Scourge rarely ever missed. He was quite serious about killing this man if his next offer didn't appeal to him.

[zach]

Floyd looked at the figure and saw the armor, explosives, and the weapon. There was noway he could doge that. So he started to think fast. This thing wasn't like The Bat. It was willing to kill to get what it wanted. So Floyd relented.

"Fine just give me five minutes with the girl. Then you can have her." He said rasieing his hands in a "hold up" gesture. "That sound better?" He asked. "I'm to tired to fight ..... Whatever you are."

[rachel]

Rachel's head was no longer heavy, and she could actually focus. She was conscious of the throbbing in her arm, where he had dug those strange claws into her shoulder. Her neck wasn't bleeding, thanks to the pressure she had put on it with her hand. But any sudden movements could re-open it..

She listened to this man talk to Scourge..he was..making a deal? She groaned, trying to stand. She needed to find a better place to be...before the debate came to an end..she didn't have enough energy yet to get up, however..her legs refused to cooperate at the moment. So she simply sat, with a little bit of frustration..

[jokerforever]

Scourge nodded, lowering the bow, which felt perfect and familiar in his grasp despite the claws. It had taken constant practice to achieve this, and to find a string, a special one, that wouldn't snap because of his sharp claws. The man had made an appealing offer, so he unotched the arrow and placed it in his quiver, a rather silly grin spreading across his features.

"Very well, you may take whatever you need from her. Five minutes." Scourge agreed, disfiguring his bow and strapping each part to a seperate shoulder. Then he slipped his robes back on and looked toward Rachel. She looked like she was in pain, but he could care less.