Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2015 13:07:16 GMT -5
To start off saying ‘…It was a day like any other,’ would be beyond pithy and glib. No single day was like any other – not in Waller’s world, in any case. Each new day presented each new opportunity to learn, to grow, to adapt, and to evolve from surviving into thriving. There was no such meaning of insignificance when it came to the smallest pieces of the big life puzzle – every piece counted to become part of the greater whole. Even a single pawn was capable of taking down a king along with his kingdom. In fact, the best way to infiltrate, in her experience, was to completely immerse all assets and resources with unquestionable dedication, into the smallest pieces that were constantly overlooked – yet were trust – that drifted along the skirt of the target’s foundation. No one empire wasn’t without its weakness – no matter how secretive and guarded it was. Like the saying goes, ‘A chain is only as strong as its weakest link’.
There was opportunity to be had in ALL viable resources – and opportunity in Waller’s world equaled power. She wasn’t one to ever let an opportunity slide on by, Amanda snatched at every chance she got – nothing went to waste, nothing was under estimated. Everything was taken into respectful consideration. That was why a woman of her prowess and caliber happened to be thoughtfully perusing along the aisle featuring an impressive Japanese Bonsai Tree collection on display for sale at the Gotham Botanical Gardens gift shop/market area. Amanda’s gaze would narrow and shift between one breed of Bonsai Tree sporting small red buds to the other beside it – sporting tiny white flowers. Both trees healthy, both trees well cared for, and both trees ready to go into full bloom. Was Waller really at the Gotham Botanical Gardens to truly buy some potted plant for home décor purposes?
Hell no.
She had singled out this day and cleared it on her schedule in order to show up at the Gardens in person with the full intent to meet a person, face to face – a very unique and special person of extreme interest… Briar Byrnes worked at the Botanical Gardens – she was something of a rather skilled botanist in this line of work. She was also something of a rather skilled specialized weapon to be used against specific human targets in her OTHER line of work… That other line of work Byrnes didn’t happen to claim on her taxes… That OTHER line of work where the highly trained and adeptly skilled young woman went by the alternate alias, Kitsune. She even had a stylized fox mask and silvery haired wig to complete the look of that other persona in her OTHER line of work…
Oh yes, Waller knew about Kitsune – or at least, knew of the rumors that happened to fall her way regarding the wildcard assassin. The rumor that most interested Waller? The possible ties Byrnes had with the League of Shadows, namely the head honcho, Ra’s al Ghul – the devil himself. Wouldn’t hurt to check things out… Wouldn’t hurt to follow up on the validity of such claims – if there was anything valid to confirm… And if there was? Wouldn’t hurt to gain inner access to that world and those people by use of a formidable weapon of their own making. Potential. Limitless potential. That’s what Waller saw in the young botanist-by-day/assassin-by-night woman.
Briar Byrnes. Also known as, Kitsune.
Every move and intention she displayed was so very carefully calculated, planned out to the nth degree – right down to knowing Byrnes’ work schedule as a Botanical Gardens employee. Knowing today was Byrnes’ day off… and yet knowing the girl would most likely be found spending her free time at the Gardens when not on assignment from the League of Shadows. And that was when Waller wanted to make contact with Byrnes. During a free moment of time with no catches and no expectations. Just two leaves floating along in the springtime breeze. It would be just then that Waller caught sight of Byrnes in her peripheral vision.
Byrnes looking well adjusted, acclimated to an easy life lived within Gotham – save for the certain type of darkness that lurked behind her crystalline blue gaze. It was a specific sort of well-hidden darkness within a person’s gaze that Waller had become a frakkin’ Jedi master in spotting and recognizing. It was a look that basically said to her, “Yeah. I can play.” And that was all the admission Waller would ever need. Clad in a simple dark red sundress that flashed an elegant pattern of black swirls here and there along the dress’s thin, sleek material, her own demeanor appeared, at first glance, to be approachable yet strong and decisive. A finely cultured woman who clearly knew what she was doing. A woman on a mission. Short, sleek dark brown locks of hair highlighted in gold was stylishly swept to the side, framing her darkly rich mocha hued face.
Waller was definitely of the more “well-to-do” customer genre – her undeniable flare for fashion, control, and efficiency radiated out from within her like a blinding ray of sunlight. Even though it was apparent that her focus clearly seemed to be on the differences between the two small Bonsai Trees before her, her true train of thought and attention was entirely on Briar Byrnes – the young woman now standing only a foot or two away from Waller. In a smooth and swift single step, Waller now was beside Byrnes – shoulder to shoulder yet keeping the personal bubble space comfortable as could be for two strangers respectfully between them.
“Can I get your opinion?” Amanda now asked, obviously speaking to Briar even though her intensely dark gaze didn’t move once from its focus on the Bonsai Trees resting on the shelf before the two of them.
“You seem like a girl who knows a thing or two about caring for plants like these,” Her tone was gentle, firm, but also socially precarious in an inviting sort of way. “Which would you recommend to start off with for a first timer like me, a Japanese Flowering Azalea or a Japanese Cherry Blossom tree?”
And just like that, the fate of the free world was set into motion… Definitely today was a day unlike every other in Amanda Waller’s world.
There was opportunity to be had in ALL viable resources – and opportunity in Waller’s world equaled power. She wasn’t one to ever let an opportunity slide on by, Amanda snatched at every chance she got – nothing went to waste, nothing was under estimated. Everything was taken into respectful consideration. That was why a woman of her prowess and caliber happened to be thoughtfully perusing along the aisle featuring an impressive Japanese Bonsai Tree collection on display for sale at the Gotham Botanical Gardens gift shop/market area. Amanda’s gaze would narrow and shift between one breed of Bonsai Tree sporting small red buds to the other beside it – sporting tiny white flowers. Both trees healthy, both trees well cared for, and both trees ready to go into full bloom. Was Waller really at the Gotham Botanical Gardens to truly buy some potted plant for home décor purposes?
Hell no.
She had singled out this day and cleared it on her schedule in order to show up at the Gardens in person with the full intent to meet a person, face to face – a very unique and special person of extreme interest… Briar Byrnes worked at the Botanical Gardens – she was something of a rather skilled botanist in this line of work. She was also something of a rather skilled specialized weapon to be used against specific human targets in her OTHER line of work… That other line of work Byrnes didn’t happen to claim on her taxes… That OTHER line of work where the highly trained and adeptly skilled young woman went by the alternate alias, Kitsune. She even had a stylized fox mask and silvery haired wig to complete the look of that other persona in her OTHER line of work…
Oh yes, Waller knew about Kitsune – or at least, knew of the rumors that happened to fall her way regarding the wildcard assassin. The rumor that most interested Waller? The possible ties Byrnes had with the League of Shadows, namely the head honcho, Ra’s al Ghul – the devil himself. Wouldn’t hurt to check things out… Wouldn’t hurt to follow up on the validity of such claims – if there was anything valid to confirm… And if there was? Wouldn’t hurt to gain inner access to that world and those people by use of a formidable weapon of their own making. Potential. Limitless potential. That’s what Waller saw in the young botanist-by-day/assassin-by-night woman.
Briar Byrnes. Also known as, Kitsune.
Every move and intention she displayed was so very carefully calculated, planned out to the nth degree – right down to knowing Byrnes’ work schedule as a Botanical Gardens employee. Knowing today was Byrnes’ day off… and yet knowing the girl would most likely be found spending her free time at the Gardens when not on assignment from the League of Shadows. And that was when Waller wanted to make contact with Byrnes. During a free moment of time with no catches and no expectations. Just two leaves floating along in the springtime breeze. It would be just then that Waller caught sight of Byrnes in her peripheral vision.
Byrnes looking well adjusted, acclimated to an easy life lived within Gotham – save for the certain type of darkness that lurked behind her crystalline blue gaze. It was a specific sort of well-hidden darkness within a person’s gaze that Waller had become a frakkin’ Jedi master in spotting and recognizing. It was a look that basically said to her, “Yeah. I can play.” And that was all the admission Waller would ever need. Clad in a simple dark red sundress that flashed an elegant pattern of black swirls here and there along the dress’s thin, sleek material, her own demeanor appeared, at first glance, to be approachable yet strong and decisive. A finely cultured woman who clearly knew what she was doing. A woman on a mission. Short, sleek dark brown locks of hair highlighted in gold was stylishly swept to the side, framing her darkly rich mocha hued face.
Waller was definitely of the more “well-to-do” customer genre – her undeniable flare for fashion, control, and efficiency radiated out from within her like a blinding ray of sunlight. Even though it was apparent that her focus clearly seemed to be on the differences between the two small Bonsai Trees before her, her true train of thought and attention was entirely on Briar Byrnes – the young woman now standing only a foot or two away from Waller. In a smooth and swift single step, Waller now was beside Byrnes – shoulder to shoulder yet keeping the personal bubble space comfortable as could be for two strangers respectfully between them.
“Can I get your opinion?” Amanda now asked, obviously speaking to Briar even though her intensely dark gaze didn’t move once from its focus on the Bonsai Trees resting on the shelf before the two of them.
“You seem like a girl who knows a thing or two about caring for plants like these,” Her tone was gentle, firm, but also socially precarious in an inviting sort of way. “Which would you recommend to start off with for a first timer like me, a Japanese Flowering Azalea or a Japanese Cherry Blossom tree?”
And just like that, the fate of the free world was set into motion… Definitely today was a day unlike every other in Amanda Waller’s world.