*A Four-Star Hotel in Gotham*

[jla_extras]

Dr. Nancy Saunders poured herself a glass of gin fromthe hotel room's minibar. She's been here for weeks, and wants nothing more than to get back to Savannah, away from Gotham

Comments

[_darkknight_]

From his position outside of the hotel window, he can see the pistol clearly, and the sight earns a scowl. Too many people carry those damned things. The woman is panicked, and panicked people do incredibly foolish things when confronted with the Batman in Gotham City.

Her phone rings.

[jla_extras]

Saunders' body tightens at the sound of the phone. She reflexively checks the safety on her gun, and answers the phone.*

[_darkknight_]

"Dr. Nancy Saunders?"

The voice is low, soft, a baritone without menace.

[jla_extras]

*Saunders is remarkable to watch. She's a slight woman, in her late 40s. Glasses, short, bobbed hair. She looks the part of a scientist who spends most of her time in a lab. But when faced with the potential for danger, she becomes instantly alert, her whole body radiates with focus.*

Who is this?

[_darkknight_]

Something is fired, a high-pitched whirring sound follows, and then her feet leave the ground. For several terrifying seconds, they swing, and then he instructs, "Brace yourself." But the impact of landing in an alley near the hotel is aborbed by his legs entirely.

Nancy will be able to see the sleek outline of the Batmobile when she opens her eyes.

If.

[jla_extras]

*A strange, muffled scream sort of hisses through the scientist's clenched teeth -- the sound of someone trying REALLY hard not to scream and nearly succeeding. She doesn't open her eyes until her feet touch the ground, and even then she takes a few moments.*

Oh my God... that was ...

Wow.

*At first it seems she might be talking about the ride, but then it becomes evident she's talking about the car.*

[_darkknight_]

Inwardly Bruce sighs. Chicks of all ages do love the car. "Locks," he says, and the car obediantly unlocks itself and the roof slides open to show the interior: two seats, one behind the other like a cockpit. "Get in."

[jla_extras]

*She does as she's told, without question -- it's obvious fixating on the car has become a coping mechanism to keep her from panicking.*

Wow ... this thing is ...

*She looks at the dashboard...*

This is custom built? I've never seen anything like this, and I've been in to the International Space Station.

[jla_extras]

*Dr. Saunders is silent for a long time, and when she finally speaks, she's distant, distracted.*

Thank you.

*And then, almost imperceptably, she changes the subject.*

This needs to change. The circle. The Justice League. This never should have gotten so out of hand.

[_darkknight_]

Her statement is met silently a moment. "Someone agrees and wants to destroy your circle."

[jla_extras]

And doing a good job if it, but why?

*She's clamer now. Working the problem in her head.*

There's no profit in it. We don't fight supervillains, we keep social and economic systems stable.

*There's a dawning moment of epiphany, where her eyes light up and her jaw slacks in horror.*

This was never really about us, I don't think. I think we were just a means to an end. I don't know what exactly, though.

*She's very serious and focused again. Practically thinking aloud.*

When the alien invasion hit a few years back, I was working for Lexcorp. This was before Tanner hired me away. We had nearly every meta on Earth in a care facility when the Dominators launched the metagene virus.

That's when I started work on isolating the metagene. I know how it works. I have devices to detect it from a distance. I know there's not been a meta at one of our gatherings that I've not known about.

[_darkknight_]

In the driver's seat, Batman stares ahead, his thoughts mixed. Anytime someone or something is perceived as a weapon, someone has to figure a way to counter it. He understands the mentality - he's done the same thing himself - but if someone from Lexcorp is looking at isolating and detecting (and countering) the metagene, it's going to be for use against the JLA, the JSA, the Titans, not for the Betterment of Man.

He'll have to think more on that later.

"Who knows about your research?"

[femme_du_chat]

Selina has been here perhaps three minutes. She's had time to pull her mask and cowl off and kick off her boots. She's ruffled her hair for a few moments and after a little bit more pondering, takes off the outer top layer of her costume. She slips into a robe and waits for her guest to be delivered.

How ever that's going to happen.

[_darkknight_]

How it happens is that Batman brings Nancy with him to the balcony (more swinging on ropes and the like), and in the process he makes just enough noise to alert Selina that they're there.

His version of knocking at the front door.

[femme_du_chat]

Selina doesn't entirely have to fake the look of surprise on her face at seeing the Dark Knight and guest on her balcony. She thought she had a little more time. Going to the glass door, she opens it and steps back, allowing for entrance.

"Welcome to my home."

[_darkknight_]

"Selina Kyle, Nancy Saunders." The introduction is as brief as that. "I should be back within a day."

The attitude he presents would indicate nothing exists between Selina and Batman other than a bland acquaintance.