San Francisco, Zatanna's apartment

[hawk_shay]

Shay thought about simply calling Zatanna and asking to be let up, but decided that left too much up to Zatanna's mood - which couldn't be good right now, considering - and wound up taking matters into her own hands

Comments

[magic_cigam]

Zatanna had been meditating in her bedroom but she hears the tapping on her window. She sighs and rises to her feet. She's not sure what it is. She doesn't really want to see but the last thing she needs is to get taken by surprise by some psycho or League member.

She mutters a protection spell just in case it's more bad news and wanders to the kitchen.

She blinks and then opens the window. "You can't take a hint, I see."

[hawk_shay]

"Honestly? No." Shay climbs in the window rather gracefully for someone with a pair of metal wings attached to her back. It's an acquired skill.

"I need your help. And I swear I wouldn't be asking if you weren't the only person who could help me resolve this."

[magic_cigam]

Zatanna regards Shay warily. "And what, pray tell, is it that I'm the only one who can resolve?"

[hawk_shay]

"A hostage situation," Shay says. She almost sighs, resigning herself to explaining the whole thing again. "I got a phone call several days ago. Someone claiming they could bring Katar back. I don't know who or how or why. I know that in return, they wanted you. I called Oracle, and she sent Animal Man in to investigate. Naturally, now the bad guys have Animal Man and won't release him without you."

[magic_cigam]

Zatanna sighs. "Of course. Because nothing completes the worst day ever like a hostage situation.

I suppose you want me to hand myself over to whoever this is so the rest of you can be reuinted with your loved ones."

Zatanna bitter? Just a tad.

[hawk_shay]

"Animal Man has a family, Zatanna," Shay says evenly. "I'm sorry about what happened to your house, but he had nothing to do with that, and neither did I. Other peoples' lives are at stake here."

[magic_cigam]

"I'm aware, Shayera. However, I don't exactly feel like walking into a situation Animal Man couldn't walk out of. You want my help? That's fine. Come up with a plan that isn't exchanging me for Buddy and Katar."

[hawk_shay]

"You know I wouldn't just turn you over. I'm not even sure what my odds would be like if I had to take you down, so I'm not going to try. We're going to work together on this and everyone is going to come out alive. You do have to trust me, though." She hesitates. "And you have to bluff. They need to think they're getting what they want or Animal Man and... Katar, if they have him... aren't getting out of there."

[magic_cigam]

She nods. "Well, we can't leave Buddy there, that's for certain. And if you're here and no fighting me, then I'll trust you."

"And I'd like to think I can bluff when I have to."

[hawk_shay]

Shay smiles briefly. "Now we're getting somewhere," she says. "Alright. What they want is you, unable to perform magic. I think they want us to believe that they're omniprescent or something, but they're not. It's in our best interests to make them think you're helpless - they'll be less careful that way. Ergo, you're going to have to be bound, but in such a way that you'll be able to get out of it easily and quickly as soon as you have to. I can do that."

[magic_cigam]

Zatanna blinks then chuckles. Then shakes her head. "You've got to be kidding."

"Trusting you is one thing. I trust you to help me get them back but letting you tie me up...not happening. No way. Not when we could be going up against anyone."

[hawk_shay]

"I would never kid when the lives of people I care about are on the line," Shay says. "Pretending you're unconcious is too risky. It's too easy to slip up. And they have to think you're not a threat. So unless you have any better ideas, we're going to have to tie you up - with," she adds quickly, "knots that will come undone with a simple tug from you."

[magic_cigam]

Zatanna just stares at Shay for awhile.

"You do understand that if the others find out about this, it could be potentially embarrassing."

To put it MILDLY.

[hawk_shay]

Shay opens her mouth to respond, realizes what Zatanna means, and closes her mouth again.

"Moving right along, then," she says. "Once we're in, the important thing is to not get seperated. Shouldn't be too hard - after all, you're supposed to be a bargaining chip. Long as I've got what they want - you - they have to listen to me." She frowns. "I'm going to have to bluff, too, and this is where you really do need to trust me. You know I would never hurt you, right?"

[magic_cigam]

"Seeing as I'll be tied up, I think you'll be able to keep an eye on me."

Zatanna thinks and then nods. "It's...I can't say this is the easiest thing for me to agree to. It's not because of you, it's because of the whole...being completely vulnerable thing."

She really hopes she's not looking as embarrassed as she feels because this whole conversation is making her think a lot about John. Yeesh. She's going to have quite a lot of things to tell him when he gets back and asks what she's been up to.

Goodness. This is awkward.

"But I think I trust you. I mean, I do. I do like you, Shay. As a person. As a friend."

[hawk_shay]

"Alright. Good. Because if they realize I won't hurt you, all our credibility goes down the tubes. We have to bluff our way into making it an open exchange - you, me, Buddy, and them..." She almost adds and Katar but doesn't. Don't get your hopes up. The last time you did, Buddy was captured for it. "... in the same room."