2013-12-26 - An Unpleasant Car Ride

So, that was Wayne Manor huh? Also, he got a chance to meet Dick Grayson, who might be annoying cop guy to Adam, but to Clint he was a circus bro, even if he came from that other world. Now though Clint is driving the Hawkmobile through Jersey, heading back to New York city. The radio is off, and there's just the rythmic thump-thump of the concrete passing under the tires of the old 70's challenger. Now came the less fun part of the trip, the talk. There were a ton of ways to start this thing off and Clint hesitated as he tried to think of the best one, and in the end he settles on "So, you know you're not supposed to cross state lines right? The cute DA's assistant, the one who is doing us a solid because she knows She-Hulk mentioned that right? Especially because we have that meeting tomorrow about the deal she's going to offer you."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Adam responds, leaning back in his chair. "Look, I wasn't planning on staying, things just happened." He grimaces at the thought of the meeting the next day-- seriously not something he had wanted to deal with, not even a little bit.

"Uh-huh," Clint says looking back at the road as he slips past a big semi. They're going a pretty fast clip for snowy road and Jersey drivers, but then super-hero. "So, what happened exactly, and why were you in Gotham in the first place?"

"I told you," Adam says calmly... first rule of lying is don't get worked up, second is keep it simple and don't change the story, "I ran into Damian, and time got away from us."

"Right," Clint says. "And why were you in Gotham in the first place? That Damian kid doesn't look like you're regular crowd." Well as long as Julian isn't being counted.

Adam shrugs. "No reason. Just checking out the sights, grabbing a slice." He bristles a bit at the last comment. "Well," how to make it plausible. Oh yeah. "So, yeah, he's like, Carrie's boyfriend, and Carrie's one of Julian's friends, you know?" He keeps a perfectly straight face. Now time to deflect. "But thanks for coming to pick me up."

Clint isn't buying it. "So, you decide to break your bail conditions by coming up to visit some of Julian's friends. You hooking up with this Carrie girl too? Because outside of getting some I don't see the point of going to juvie for that," he says with a frown. "So, how about we cut the bullshit and tell me what you found in the city that sent you up here, cause I assume it was something to do with Newt."

Shit. Adam gives Clint a flat look. "How did you--?"

"Like I said, you're a lot like me. I didn't figure you'd risk getting some years for anything less than a shot at the people that hurt your people," Clint explains simply.

Adam sighs and opens his bag, pulling out one of the large ampuole of red and black swirling liquid, and the prescription sheet with the address written across it.

"All right, so, the gun wasn't the only thing I found that the lab in the Bronx, okay? I found this address and figured it was another lab. I was hopin' it was still in business, you know?" Adam grumbles. "It wasn't. I found the ammo for the gun, though. It's some kind of gas gun, shoots a mixture of newt and fear gas." No, that was fear, not tear.

Clint's jaw works back and forth as he grinds his teeth. "What part of I've got this, didn't you get?" he asks shaking his head and giving Adam another look. "If you're going to work with me, you're going to actually need to work with me, okay? Otherwise you're not going to give me much choice but to back out of whatever deal they put on the table tomorrow," he says. It was a low blow but seriously, he needed Adam to toe the line (stop laughing Cap) he had enough problems as it is not to be chasing after mini-me all the time.

Adam glowers at Clint. "Oh yeah? Well, it's not like you're working with me on this, either!" he snaps. "You expect me to sit around and wait and hope someone else does something about it-- I don't expect people to clean up my problems for me. You don't want me to do /anything/!"

"This isn't the only thing I am working on," Clint answers evenly. "Anyhow, how am I supposed to do anything about it when you won't share your information with me. If you want to work for mind readers, pretend you're a mutant and join the X-Men. Otherwise, you speak up."

"And if I would have told you, you would have just taken the address and left me to stew," Adam replies. "I went, I checked the place out. I got the ammo, we know they are weaponizing this shit now. I don't see what the problem is. I'm fine, you're fine, everyone's fine, and I'm making my court date tomorrow. See? And you didn't have to work on it, because I handled it." His jaw sets sullenly.

Clint takes a hand off the wheel to rub a temple. "Yeah, whatever," he answers tiredly. "No actually, not whatever, this is bullshit Adam, I'm sticking my neck out for you and your people and then you go ahead and shit all over it with stuff like this. I get you're hurting and you want to hurt the people who killed Eileen, but fuck, the world is bigger than just you."

"I /know/," Adam growls. "People keep dying-- not just Eileen, but there are OTHER people out there who are /dying/, being /murdered/ by something that's supposed to /help/ them. It's not about me. It's about them." He drops the the orb back into his bag and slams his hand against the door, turning his face away to glare out the window.

"I dealt this stuff. I gave it to mutants, and they may be dead now. Because of me. I told them what clinics were offering it for free-- if you were willing to go on some mutant reg list they were keeping." Adam takes a deep breath. "I should have know it was bad, man. Who does something to help, just to help, no strings? No one."

Clint sympathizes, he can imagine how shitty Adam must feel about it, but he's too angry to say so. Damn it he had deaths of his own on his conscience. "Do you have any other addresses?" he asks after about five minutes of silence.

"No," Adam says, then is silent for a few moments. "...but I know of another lab in Queens I wanted to check out. I know it's abandoned, hadn't broken into it yet to see if they left anything." He sighs, sounded defeated.

Clint falls silent again, this time it's only a moment. "We'll go after the meeting tomorrow," he says. "Don't want to get nabbed for trespassing before then."

Adam turns to look at Clint. "You're serious? We'll both go?" He looks almost hopeful. "I mean, yeah, after the meeting." He pauses. "Do I gotta wear a suit?" he winces.

"Yeah, together," Clint promises with a slight upwards curve of his lips. "And since I'm wearing a suit, you're /definitely/ going to be wearing one," he says. "Misery likes company. Anyhow, I am going to assume you don't have one, so we can stop off to get you one on the way home."

"Aww man," Adam grumbles. "/No/, I don't have a suit. But I'm not washing the dye out of my hair," he says firmly.

"Fine," Clint says, now he's really smiling. "We'll find you a purple tie to match it."

Adam seems somewhat mollified. "All right. Can I wear the trench over it?"

"Sure," Clint says. "After the meeting."

Adam rolls his eyes. "Fine. Lame suit, lame meeting, and then B&E, and possibly saving the world."

Clint nods. "Yep. Sounds like a pretty normal day to me. Oh, also I got you a Christmas gift."

"What?" Adam blinks. "Seriously? Uh... cool, I mean. Thanks. What is it?"

"You'll see it when we get home," Clint promises. "/After/ we get the suit," he says smiling to himself as they head onto the turnpike towards New York.