in which things turn bad retroactively

[exceptfebruary]

WHO: Batman & Houston & Calendar Man
WHERE: Calendar Man's hideout
WHEN: BACKDATED like whoa to the 22nd or 23rd?
WARNINGS: Violence maybe?
SUMMARY: A couple of people took personal offense to seeing their dads and uh, technically Julian's still wanted for escaping NOHoPE SO...
FORMAT: Prose to start then taggers choice?


Julian had been rather pleased at how Father's Day had turned out. He counted it as quite the success, in his opinion, and eagerly started work on his next project.

He had perhaps, overstepped himself. As long as he stayed quiet and just posted vague things on the network, he wasn't that much of an active threat. Father's Day, however, got him a lot of attention. And he liked attention. It made him almost a little sloppy.

Then things got worse, and Alberto Falcone arrived and Julian couldn't concentrate. All thoughts of Father's Day and all the potential consequences flew out of his head, and instead he was consumed by old grudges. And anger made him more sloppy.

There was a trail, if anybody cared to look for it. But as far as Calendar Man was aware, there was no one coming after him. Right?

Comments

[a_relative_hero]

There was someone coming after Calendar Man. Someone that had taken great amount of offense to having a ghostly version of his father sent after him. And since Calendar Man was an escaped criminal, that was all the more reason for Houston to go after him.

The trail wasn't easy to follow but he was following it. And now, outside and across the street from where the trail led him. Calendar Man's lair. Peering at it through some binoculars, he's looking for any signs of activity within or a decent point of entry.

[batmantled]

It feels like overkill, making the perimeter once, then twice. Checking, then double-checking their lead. But somehow it’s always different, when a standard take-down ends up soured by something personal. Different when your partner’s young and angry. As angry as he wishes he could be, after Sunday.

He makes a soundless landing on the roof behind Houston, slipping binoculars of his own up to the batgoggles.

"Ever gone up against anybody from Gotham before?"

[a_relative_hero]

Even if he's expecting Batman, the sudden voice still makes Joel jump. He nods though. "Other than when we took on Joker, I've fought Calendar Man before."

[batmantled]

"Just checking."

Right. A factor he should've picked up on and remembered. Where has his head been, lately?

"Calender's Man just tends to be a special case. I know it's tempting to go in rough but we need to take this slow and easy. And try not too hit too hard if he doesn't make it necessary."

[a_relative_hero]

Joel's been a bit distracted himself since Father's Day. He nods in reply to Batman, lowering his binoculars.

"He does have a glass jaw if I'm remembering right," Houston replies, remembering the New Years conflict. "Are you taking the lead here?" he asks, finally looking up at the more experienced hero.

[batmantled]

Risky though it is to thrown down with someone new, this time he's pretty he's chosen right. Joel gets more of a genuine grin off the side of the binoculars. "If you're okay to follow."

He lifts them again and peers one last time. "The Calendar Man I know won't have a lot of backup. Now where he goes to ground when he's comfortable. But if there's goons, we still need to make the attempt to immobilize him first."

[a_relative_hero]

"I'm fine with it," Joel replies with a nod.

Glancing through his binoculars as well, Houston nods. "He won't get away. Even with his tricks, he can't escape my speed."

[batmantled]

"It'll give you an edge if I end up tied down."

He stands from the crouch and shoots a line soundlessly to the roof across the street. A break through the window's always a classic.

"I make a big ruckus and you follow behind me."

[a_relative_hero]

Putting his binoculars away, Joel stands as well. He lowers his goggles over his eyes and nods to Batman.

"I'll be right behind you," Houston replied, stretching quickly. "We'll put that nut job back behind bars where he belongs."

[batmantled]

He takes the leap he's been waiting for and braces for the impact, feeling the crush of the glass on his boots a split second before the sound splits the air. He'll have a few seconds to find a landing, then less then that to assess the new surroundings.

[exceptfebruary]

Julian was no stranger to people not using the door, Scarecrow in particular seemed fond of windows - but the sound of breaking glass instantly put him on edge. His costume, where was his costume?

No, no no no, no, he had work to do - there was always work to do and not now, not today, not after he had been ported in.

Calendar Man scrambled for the closest gadgets within reach - there were the close-range fireworks he had adjusted from New Year's to make red, white and blue -- but his notes, he might damage his notes --

He still had pranks from April Fool's he never used. He scrambled for those, running on cool panic and instinct, not even fully aware yet as to who broke in, just that it was Bad News. Gotham trained a man.

[a_relative_hero]

Joel takes just a moment to watch Batman go though that window before he's off. He doesn't have grapple lines to launch through windows with but Joel does have his speed. A gold and black blur zips across the street and slips in as quietly as it can through the first door or window it can open even if it has to break them.