truth_and_justice | The Bat and Superspy (AU)

[ Clark is about three seconds from filing an inter-agency complaint. Three seconds, because the lengths to which the CIA spook on this assignment, sharing this assignment with him, has been avoiding him to such lengths that it’s gone beyond interdepartmental shenanigans. It’s skirting obstruction of justice now; just skirting it, unfortunately, which gives him a clue as to who it might be.

Wayne has pulled this nonsense before.

Today, however, he’s hoping that Wayne or whoever else it might be is going to actually check by the checkpoint to get the warning he left. Given his luck, they won’t. Which is why he’s keeping his ears open to listen for trouble in the definitely-not-abandoned warehouse. ]

---

[ The problem with this case is it's the Joker -- someone Bruce has dealt with extensively in the past and is the kind of criminal that gets tetchy when people who he doesn't know pops up. Tetchy in the murder way. The Joker's a ghost, hundreds of counts of murder and the mastermind beyond a few terrorist plots too many. His MO is essentially what gives him a laugh and he's wiped all his DNA from every record possible so it's even harder to get a read on who he was before he slashes his face into an eerie smile and crawled out of whatever pit of hell he's from.

The FBI gave him Clark Kent, someone Bruce has... vaguely worked with before but never for long and always brief but who Bruce knows by reputation to be one of their best and the boy scoutiest boy scout to ever boy scout, really. That doesn't fly with Bruce's usual standard -- go dark, come back when he has something feasible. He's better alone and the Joker has an odd fixation on him, calls him the Bat (a reference to a joke within the Langley, that Bruce is one of the most terrifying agents and lurks in the shadows) and Bruce hasn't figured out how he found out about that nickname either. So, yeah, Bruce doesn't want Clark caught up in this.

Today, the "this" is something... not great. He found the Joker, in some ACME warehouse in the middle of downtown Gotham (does he know -- who Bruce's family is?) and after a pretty nasty fight on a catwalk, Joker got the upperhand. He's tied Bruce up and has him dangling over a pit of a acid which, well, admittedly this isn't great and is lounging above, knife in his hand, gloating.

So, yeah, Bruce didn't want Clark in this mess but he's feeling a little stuck. He could probably use some help? Oh boy, he definitely should have asked for help. ]

You know, I do actually have back up coming. Either drop me already or you're going to get arrested.

[ Who, the specs that left you a note earlier? It was in a bag, under a bench. Very subtle, Batsy.

-- A note? From the checkpoint? Shit, was it about this? ]

Yeah, the specs. He's worse than me, Joker. Remember that time in Spain? But worse.

[ Ooh, I'm looking forward to it.

Ugh. He's so fucked. At the very least, Joker can't hear how his heart's beating a thousand miles an hour. It wouldn't do to let him know how scared he is right now. Jesus, this is really, really bad. ]

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[ Of course. Wayne is hobbling and he still thinks he's the more capable agent in the room. To be fair, he does his best to undercut his capabilities in front of people, but he's never shown himself to be incompetent. He's not sure what Wayne has against him. ]

Or [ and he is decidedly neutral-toned ] the two of us escort him together. Langley hasn't known what to do with him the four other times you've caught him, though. Did they change something and forget the inter-department memo?

[ ...the last was probably unwise and unfairly antagonistic, but something about Wayne's attitude is infuriating. ]

[ There's a sharp look at Clark's words and his upper lip curls because no, Clark wouldn't know this, there's no reason for him to do so but he still can't help but be angry. He's rough on himself as he ties the metal to his leg and snaps, ]

He killed his way out three of those other four times. One of those times by literally biting a man's throat out, so I'd be careful how close you stand next to him, Kent. Agents trained to deal with someone specifically like him still can't predict his movements.

[ It's just ridiculous. He has a fixation on Bruce and the CIA is better equipped to throw Joker somewhere and lose the key. But fine, if the FBI thinks they can handle someone like Joker, fine. When Bruce is done with his leg, he's going to move over to the ladder leading down from the vats, trying very hard to ignore the pain even as he begins climbing down the ladder on the broken leg.

Damn, he hopes Clark called a medic. ]

[ Clark has been sending the encoded message for a message even while sasssing Bruce, and he only looks up when he hears the clanging and- ]

I would have helped you down, you madman.

[ But the damage is already done, no doubt, and he knows Wayne won't let him help him down now. Better he focuses on keeping an eye on Joker. Wayne isn't wrong about how wily he is. And he's not sure that the FBI will do any better with him, but he intends to put his firm recommendation that the man be given therapy though a loudspeaker and his food via a dumb waiter. ]

Don't you worry about me, Wayne. You're the one walking wounded. Will you be all right to accompany me to the rendezvous point?

[ The truthful answer is no, of course not. He needs to be in a hospital. He's still bleeding from his head wound. Bruce is an idiot.

But what he will say instead is: ]

Of course.

[ Because he needs to see this through to the end. It doesn't really matter to him that it was only a few minutes ago that he was dangling over an acid pit. That's irrelevant. What's relevant is that Clark is here, they've tagged Joker, and if Clark was an agent worth anything -- he'd have let their handlers know and there'll be a spot to deliver him. Then they can go back to their agencies and debrief and... get treated, in Bruce's case.

When he's on steady ground again, he wobbles slightly and grabs another spare piece of pipe for balance. He holds up a hand to the gash in his head and then hobbles forward towards where Clark is. ]

Come on, let's get to work.

[ Clark winces and reaches out a hand to offer a bit of support even as he (somewhat thoughtlessly) hauls Joker up with his other hand. He hadn't been especially careful with Wayne because he'd figured Wayne could manage, but he'd miscalculated and the man would probably end up having to heal for a few weeks time. Fair enough, given the amount of paperwork they were going to have to do on this case especially.

Of course, he's never worked with the Joker before, which is why he's not looking to see if the Joker is still out. Because he isn't, and a knife flashes as it goes swinging at Clark's side.

...and goes skittering off with a giggling screech before Clark reaches over and flicks his forehead to put him out again.

Then there's a slow look over at Bruce. ]

...you didn't mention he wakes up so quickly in your 'note'.

[ Everything happens so quick that even Bruce's reflexes aren't quite a match. He's about to say something when he sees Joker stir but then there's a knife and it's -- gone? It's gone and Clark... flicks the man in the forehead, but he looks unconscious the next moment and now Bruce is confused. That -- that didn't make much sense, did it? ]

... Hh.

[ No, seriously, this doesn't make any sense. His eyes narrow as he looks between Joker and Clark, and then he just kind of glares at Clark. Did he drug him when Bruce wasn't looking? ]

Let's just get him into lock up.

[ Because seriously, he's in some major pain here and Clark's stupid everything isn't helping him. He feels itchy, like he's trapped here and it might be in the injuries, might be Gotham, might be Clark, but it might be all three and more and he'll be happier when his leg is wrapped and he has a drink in his hand. ]

[ It totally made sense... if you knew that Agent Kent could knock down a wall with an errant sneeze if he was so clumsy. And he's not, actually, that clumsy. What clumsiness he has is either faked or the result of the kind of control most people would be astounded was even possible let alone handled so well. But Clark just smiles over at Bruce and reaches over to grab a piece of one of the girders that's roughly the size of a walking stick. ]

Come on. There should be a medic when we get out there and the car will take us where we need to go.

[ Bruce doesn't hesitate from there, assuming Clark has Joker ready. He'll use the metal for balance, breathing a little heavily from the pain because every step onto his foot is absolutely killing him. He's going to try not to pay it much mind, biting into his lip instead. To the door, he's pushing it open for Clark and Joker and it's only when he steps outside does he realize -- ]

... Wait, how far do we have to --

[ But thankfully, there's a sudden burst of noise and an ambulance and a few police cars pull up. Bruce feels a little faint then, eager to get off his leg. ]

[ Clark feels... just a little awful that Bruce'd gotten so hurt. He'd made his calculations and he'd obviously slipped up; he'd thought the drop would be relatively short, had counted on the fibers holding a little more, having a little more stretch, but alas. As it is, he intends to check in on Agent Wayne as best he can until those injuries are all healed up. It's the least he can do, after all.

As for the issue of the Joker, he is restrained further, settled in the back of a car, and Bruce takes a moment to watch them work before pointing over to Wayne and getting the medics to come over and take a look at him. ]

I'll watch the car while they get you patched up a little, all right?

The Bat and Superspy (AU)

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