Home Invasion #2- The Front
=====Van Cleer Manor=====
*Everything seems much darker since Arkham City. It hasn't stopped raining since it opened, and right now the wind howls, battering against the windows of the Walker Residence. Drury's on the phone, whispering in hushed tones. Miranda watches his lips closely, as he mutters "Nah, can't be" under his breath, and mumbles "God... Thanks, though." He hangs up, smiles weakly, then slinks into his armchair*
Miranda- Trouble?
Drury- Eh? Just a work query dear- Did you know how much sugar is actually in fudge? Let alone those chocolate orange ones you like... A real eye opener.
Miranda- I'll bet.
*She looks over her newspaper, the front page describing yet another incident in Arkham City, suspiciously at her husband, watching as he jumps to his feet, and heads into the kitchen. But before he's at the door, Sharpe bursts through it, sweat dripping from his brow, Gaige in hot pursuit. Catching up with him, the good doctor tackles Chancer*
Miranda- Daddy? What the hell?!
*Chancer gasps for breath under Gaige, who finally releases him, wheezing out a warning through deep breaths "Zombies! Fuckin' zombies Walker!" Paranoid, Gaige starts to close all the curtains*
Drury- What is-?
Gaige- No time! Were you followed?
Chancer- I...
Gaige- Talk, you fucking idiot, talk!
Chancer- You sat on my ventricle! I... I don't know... Maybe... Probably!
Gaige- For the love of....
*Gaige shoves past Chancer, and cracks open his suitcase*
Drury- Followed? Followed by who? Gaige-!
*Drury looks down at the shotgun forced into his arms and back at Gaige, who's now armed both Sharpe and Miranda. Lastly, after bandaging his fists and tightening his bandana, The Tiger Shark very suddenly rips off his shirt, and grabs a harpoon from off the mantle piece*
Gaige- It's always the same story. Fucking Owls. Miranda- get the pre-schooler to the bunker. Sharpe- tell the twins to grab their costumes. Walker- Call Lynns, tell him to put his place on lockdown, the bastards won't fuck around.
Miranda- Dad! Those kids aren't fighting!
...
Miranda- Just stop for a minute. What happened?
Gaige- It's the Court of Owls. Chancer must've found one of their nests. ... How *did* you find one of their nests?
Chancer- This tunnel... it just... just opened. These things came out, and I ran
*The trio look at Chancer. And that's all it takes for them to know he's lying*
Drury- Chancer...
Chancer- What? Might've been gold or something...
*Out of the corner of his eye, Sharpe noticed Miranda grasping her gun more tightly and heard a sound from Gaige not dissimilar to an angry whale*
Miranda- Should've known you couldn't change.
Drury- Stop it, the both of you. Chancer's with us, ok. I'm calling Gar. You deal with the kids. We'll make a stand
=======
*Dozens of dark figures moved about outside, generations of Talons stood poised for attack, swords in their hands. Leading them, was another figure. It let out ragged breaths from beneath it's dark grey mask. It knew this place. Once. And if it knew all that it had forgotten, it would realise it had become the same thing it had once despised. A puppet. It raised a gloved hand to it's forces, and nodded*
=======
*Drury put down the phone. Gar was safe- thank god. He was in Strykers with Josie, visiting her mother- Superman just a call away. Fully dressed, Kitten and Axel thundered into the room, alongside a bloodied Chancer*
Kitten- Daddy, what's going on, your crazy friend barged into my room and told me to suit up.
Chancer- She punched me in the nose!
*Drury put his hand on his daughter's shoulder in reassurance*
Drury- Well sweetie, my crazy friend has gone and brought an army of Talons here. Cammy's in the cave, you ought to join him.
*Axel snorted*
Axel- Typical.
Kitten- Urgh, that's so annoying! I had my hair done and everything.
*Drury smiles. These were his kids through and through, and he loved (and sometimes hated them) for it. He ran a finger across Kitten's curled locks*
Drury- Heh. So, huh, who's the new boyfriend Katie?
Kitten- You... wouldn't know em.
Axel- Bet it's Red Hood, she loves those Robi- ow!
Kitten- Nuh-uh, he's mean!
Drury- Heheh... I want you two in that cave ok?
*Under his breath, Axel says "Like that'll happen," a snot gun gripped in his hand. Cammy safely away, Miranda stands in the doorway, a faint banging noise behind her*
Miranda- They're here.
Drury- Sounds like they're... singing.
"Beware the Court of Owls, watching all the time. Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch behind granite and lime. They see you in your hearth. They watch you in your bed. Speak not a whispered word of them"
Talon- Or they'll send the Talon for your head.
Home Invasion #2- The Front
=====Van Cleer Manor=====
*Everything seems much darker since Arkham City. It hasn't stopped raining since it opened, and right now the wind howls, battering against the windows of the Walker Residence. Drury's on the phone, whispering in hushed tones. Miranda watches his lips closely, as he mutters "Nah, can't be" under his breath, and mumbles "God... Thanks, though." He hangs up, smiles weakly, then slinks into his armchair*
Miranda- Trouble?
Drury- Eh? Just a work query dear- Did you know how much sugar is actually in fudge? Let alone those chocolate orange ones you like... A real eye opener.
Miranda- I'll bet.
*She looks over her newspaper, the front page describing yet another incident in Arkham City, suspiciously at her husband, watching as he jumps to his feet, and heads into the kitchen. But before he's at the door, Sharpe bursts through it, sweat dripping from his brow, Gaige in hot pursuit. Catching up with him, the good doctor tackles Chancer*
Miranda- Daddy? What the hell?!
*Chancer gasps for breath under Gaige, who finally releases him, wheezing out a warning through deep breaths "Zombies! Fuckin' zombies Walker!" Paranoid, Gaige starts to close all the curtains*
Drury- What is-?
Gaige- No time! Were you followed?
Chancer- I...
Gaige- Talk, you fucking idiot, talk!
Chancer- You sat on my ventricle! I... I don't know... Maybe... Probably!
Gaige- For the love of....
*Gaige shoves past Chancer, and cracks open his suitcase*
Drury- Followed? Followed by who? Gaige-!
*Drury looks down at the shotgun forced into his arms and back at Gaige, who's now armed both Sharpe and Miranda. Lastly, after bandaging his fists and tightening his bandana, The Tiger Shark very suddenly rips off his shirt, and grabs a harpoon from off the mantle piece*
Gaige- It's always the same story. Fucking Owls. Miranda- get the pre-schooler to the bunker. Sharpe- tell the twins to grab their costumes. Walker- Call Lynns, tell him to put his place on lockdown, the bastards won't fuck around.
Miranda- Dad! Those kids aren't fighting!
...
Miranda- Just stop for a minute. What happened?
Gaige- It's the Court of Owls. Chancer must've found one of their nests. ... How *did* you find one of their nests?
Chancer- This tunnel... it just... just opened. These things came out, and I ran
*The trio look at Chancer. And that's all it takes for them to know he's lying*
Drury- Chancer...
Chancer- What? Might've been gold or something...
*Out of the corner of his eye, Sharpe noticed Miranda grasping her gun more tightly and heard a sound from Gaige not dissimilar to an angry whale*
Miranda- Should've known you couldn't change.
Drury- Stop it, the both of you. Chancer's with us, ok. I'm calling Gar. You deal with the kids. We'll make a stand
=======
*Dozens of dark figures moved about outside, generations of Talons stood poised for attack, swords in their hands. Leading them, was another figure. It let out ragged breaths from beneath it's dark grey mask. It knew this place. Once. And if it knew all that it had forgotten, it would realise it had become the same thing it had once despised. A puppet. It raised a gloved hand to it's forces, and nodded*
=======
*Drury put down the phone. Gar was safe- thank god. He was in Strykers with Josie, visiting her mother- Superman just a call away. Fully dressed, Kitten and Axel thundered into the room, alongside a bloodied Chancer*
Kitten- Daddy, what's going on, your crazy friend barged into my room and told me to suit up.
Chancer- She punched me in the nose!
*Drury put his hand on his daughter's shoulder in reassurance*
Drury- Well sweetie, my crazy friend has gone and brought an army of Talons here. Cammy's in the cave, you ought to join him.
*Axel snorted*
Axel- Typical.
Kitten- Urgh, that's so annoying! I had my hair done and everything.
*Drury smiles. These were his kids through and through, and he loved (and sometimes hated them) for it. He ran a finger across Kitten's curled locks*
Drury- Heh. So, huh, who's the new boyfriend Katie?
Kitten- You... wouldn't know em.
Axel- Bet it's Red Hood, she loves those Robi- ow!
Kitten- Nuh-uh, he's mean!
Drury- Heheh... I want you two in that cave ok?
*Under his breath, Axel says "Like that'll happen," a snot gun gripped in his hand. Cammy safely away, Miranda stands in the doorway, a faint banging noise behind her*
Miranda- They're here.
Drury- Sounds like they're... singing.
"Beware the Court of Owls, watching all the time. Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch behind granite and lime. They see you in your hearth. They watch you in your bed. Speak not a whispered word of them"
Talon- Or they'll send the Talon for your head.