2016-08-10 - Kon Save the Queen

Superboy flies through the skies over Westminster, holding Batgirl to him. Supersonic flight kinda ruled out the potential for conversation, but the atlantic isn't really /that/ big. He lands in the center of Piccadilly Circus, greatly startling a large number of pigeons. "Thank you for flying Kon-air, please retrieve all luggage from the overhead compartment and remember to thank the flight attendant."

This Batgirl oddly didn't really do the 'conversation' thing anyway, so the flight was more a test of the plexiglass shields in her mask's eyeholes than anything. If she wanted to point anything out, she just...y'know, pointed. However, the comment about luggage mostly got a confused look that changed quickly into a smirk when she realized it wasn't meant seriously. "Dork," she adds.

Then she's motioning right with her head, suggesting movement to another spot. Moving herself, she's not one to waste time. "Thank...you for...carry. Only...five birds this time."

Cassandra Cain has gotten chattier lately.

The telekinetic force field kept the flight safe, if a bit cozy. He gives a slight snort of laughter, smirking, and follows her lead. The flight in gave them a nice aerial view to get their bearings in relation to whatever map Cassandra might have earlier seen. "They just got startled, they'll be fine." He's good enough at what he does to avoid impacting anything up there, but the strange, ridiculously fast bird can still be a little alarming for migrating flocks.

Cassandra Cain was mostly teasing the demi-kryptonian, and she grins widely as it hits home. Close enough for her tastes, anyway. Leaning out over the edge, she takes in the area with a sudden intensity that's almost unnerving all on its own; guards, hidden agents, guy with too much to drink...she says, "No Batwing..." as she enhances the magnification on her hud and starts looking over the place for the assassins that Batman's report warned about. The reason they're here, in England.

"The jet or the grumpy kid?" Superboy wonders, not needing any sort of mechanical assistance, though he's still getting used to the telescopic vision. He taps her shoulder, and gestures. High window, open eyelines.

Glancing at the window, Cassandra nods. She knows how easy rifles are for this type of thing, but also not to rule out closer types of attacks. "Check," she suggests kind of bluntly, motioning toward the window in question as she keeps doing her own version of cheating. If anyone is waiting for the chance to kill, she'll see it in how they're walking. Talking. Standing. But she can't be everywhere.

No response to the odd question though, but then she doesn't tend to when she's not looking at a person. Like she didn't even hear it.

Kon gives a friendly little shoulder squeeze, then takes the long way around. He lands on top of the building with the suspicious window, and takes a breath. "Apologies to anyone currently in the shower," he mutters, and focuses, looking through the stone and wood to the interior of rooms.

The smile on Cassandra's face as Kon flits off is real; she seems comfortable with him lately. It fades fast though, as she gets her mind on the job. Royals won't save their own asses, after all. That's what heroes are for, be they guards or capes.

Kon's vision passes over a few things that are best left undetailed, several rats, an unfinished plate of bratwurst, and a rifle. That last probably gets his attention, along with the man holding the gun. Low on the window so it won't reflect light til he's ready to use it, eyes kept alert on the square below. And a mask on his face, with a bulls-eye on the forehead.

He doesn't have a communicator to speak directly into Cass's ear, but, he realizes after a moment, that might not actually be that helpful. Instead, he floats up, doing an aerial flip where she can see, all primary colors and athleticism. He gestures, pointing down below, then miming a mask. Whoever put in the hit paid for a costume.

Cass isn't looking, unfortunately. She's focusing below on a group of ladies who're watching for the royals' visit. The look of longing on her face is visible even to Kon, as she watches them laugh and play together, dressed as pretty as they are. Perfect skin, long hair in curls or coiffures, something there has managed to distract the girl from her work. She's almost drooling.

And below, the horns play to announce the arrival of the royal family, heading for their duties in London. Things start to get going, and Bullseye lifts his rifle to his shoulder.

Superboy glances over at Cass, trying to get her attention, looking down to see what could possibly be distracting her, his face falling a bit. The genetically engineered clone, literally born at 16... he gets it. The horns snap him out of it. He quickly zips up his jacket, and hangs, upside down, directly in Bullseye's line of sight. "Hey! Whatcha doin?" he quips as he pulls a move suicidal for anyone NOT bullet proof.

Bullseye looks at Superboy in his line of sight, and like a professional says, "Ah. Should have known." He lowers his rifle, letting it drift away from any good targets, and lifts his eye from the gun. "Have we met? I'm familiar with the shirt logo, but not the face."

If anyone would be looking, one might see that Cassandra has vanished from the rooftop at this point. Bat style, she's probably lurking.

Superboy rights himself, hovering outside the window, chest basically blocking any good eyeline that isn't going to require some ridiculous trick shot. "Superboy. The other one's Superman. Unless you mean Supergirl... probably wouldn't get those two confused." He considers Bullseye for a bit. "Target?" he wonders. Friendly banter aside, he's suspicious. Nobody that makes the money the professional costumed assassins charge is going to give up /that/ easily. He listens out, hearing the street vendor peddling patriotic crap, hearing the cries of the crowd, hearing the cameras of what passes for print media in this country.

Bullseye shrugs, his rifle held gently and resting aside. Not even trying. "Best to know who you're dealing with. I go by Bullseye," he mentions, motioning up toward his forehead with his chin.

Behind, Kon can hear the royals beginning their trip. Bullseye's chance for a shot is coming, and soon. If he wants it, which isn't seeming to be the case. Since he isn't even trying to get a shot at all. And there's actually no way TO get a shot without getting to another window, at this point.

"You'd be here on the company payroll then?" he asks, adding, "They must be paying well these days to get real heroes on the job."

The less concerned Bullseye seems to be, the more suspicious he gets. He hesitates, nodding. "Company?" he asks. "Kind of a volunteer thing... unless you count the action figures. Though the profits from those go to the charity these days. Used to have some brand deals, though." The assassin doesn't need Cassandra's gift for body language to tell that the conversation only has part of his attention as he tries to filter through all the noise for something relevant.

Without looking, it's difficult to tell what Cass might or might not be doing. Though she's difficult to spot even if you're looking, so sometimes it comes down to trust. Even though she was distracted and hurting a moment ago, she's GOT to be doing something useful back there. Where the assassin's chance for a good shot is down to mere seconds, til there's no target anymore. So it's now or never, for Bullseye.

Who seems calm, smiling a little, and chatting with Kon. So either he's not the assassin, or he's got a plan.

"So," Bullseye says, his rifle resting on the edge of the window. "Quick question. From what I've gathered about hero types, if you're not hired, then you're here because it's the right thing to do. So to you, it doesn't matter who I'm shooting at, does it?"

And without any more warning than that, his rifle fires a high-velocity round out the window, WAY off target, but aimed at...someone way down the thoroughfare he's picked at random, knowing that Kon will have to stop it.

And then another, a mere half-second later, at the head of the royal in the street.

"Where's the other--" and then the shot rings out, wide and possibly unaimed, but guaranteed to hit SOMEONE in the crowd. The surprise gives the bullet a slight head start, but one that'd be hard to pick out, the sonic boom of rapid acceleration shattering the window before screams even have time to ring out below. This is gonna be a hell of a trick, but he has one small advantage, he knows where the second bullet is aiming. The cone of compressed air nudges the bullet off course, but possibly not enough. He snatches the bullet out of the air as he passes, and hurtles back, trying to get an intercept course with the second bullet.

Kon is, indeed, fast. Bullseye however is magic, as he's stated before, and the bullet Kon is chasing is perfectly aimed even though he's not bothering to look. So he HAS to stop the first bullet, and when Kon catches it it's moments away from splattering a poor gardener's head. Saved!

The second bullet is, similarly, perfect, and is actually faster. He's using different bullets for the two shots. Bastard was expecting trouble and was prepared for it. With light streaming past Kon's eyes so fast it's difficult to handle, he follows the bullet's trajectory and realizes that he's not going to make it in time.

However, at that speed he also sees a figure in black rolling right into the path, a yellow bat symbol emblazoned on her chest. As the bullet rips into her, ricocheting off of Cassandra's ribcage and missing the royal target.

The sound of gunfire causes the targets to vanish, pulled to the bottom of the vehicle by active guards, and Bullseye's curse can be heard as it happens.

Kon gets there a moment too late, quickly surveying Cassandra for internal damage, but, when the bullet seems to have just been a glancing blow, he turns, glaring at the window Bullseye occupies. He doesn't accelerate to mach speed in the middle of the crowd. He does it about 10 feet above them. He tears through the blasted open window. Bullseye's aim might be good, but unless he's also a speedster, he's not outrunning the meta.

Cassandra however falls into the crowd, very much hurt. Glancing blow or not, that was a high velocity sniper round. She's in trouble, and Kon notices that. She doesn't complain though, holding her side with a hand and going into a meditation to ward off shock.

Bullseye, packing up by leaving the rifle entirely behind and heading for the exit, says, "Pretty sure I hit someone back there, son," as Kon flies up to him. Of course, by then Kon's probably hit him already and his backup plan is ...well, it's shot.

"I can carry two," Superboy says, glaring at Bullseye, then looping back around. He gathers up Cassandra, his telekinesis stemming the flow of blood. She might go a bit numb in places, but she's not going to have to worry about blood loss anytime soon. "Batgirl, Inmate, Inmate, Batgirl."

Cassandra Cain waves a little at Bullseye, who seems annoyed. Not a wince or a complaint, not in front of a villain. Even visibly shot, she grins at him as if she's willing to eat his spleen right there in front of him. The look along with being hauled around by Superboy makes him pale visibly under the mask. And Cass' hand squeezes Kon's shoulder similar to how he did to her earlier.

Superboy flies off, dropping Bullseye off with the cops, who are more familiar with the criminal than Superboy is, then taking Cassandra to a hospital. He grabs an EMT as they come to collect the girl and load her onto a stretcher. "Mask stays on," he says firmly, explaining that the reason the girl isn't visibly bleeding is him as he urges them to get some gauze.

Cassandra Cain squeezes Kon's hand the entire way. Well, until she's put to sleep. Then it's more of an automatic thing.

When Cass awakes from her surgery, she's alone in the hospital room. For a little while, at least, before Superboy steps in, carrying a large bag from a clothing store. "Figured you might want a change of clothes for after we get out of here."

A raised eyebrow is the biggest thing Cass gives until she sees the body language Kon's using. Without leaning up she reaches out her hands to the package, assuming it'll be pants and a loose shirt. "Suit...ruined?"

"Nah. Probably repairable, just..." It's a dress. He gives her a small smile. "Saw you looking at those girls earlier, and... well, since we're already here..." He's seen her in a sports bra, he knows where her scars are, and did his masculine best to pick something out that'd cover most of them. It's not an expensive dress, but it's a dress, light, airy, and summery.

Cass wants to laugh. She wants to put the dress on, she really does. Laying it on herself, she admires the neckline and runs her fingers down the fabric. After a sigh, she says, "Maybe...after..." as she prods her wound. "Tomorrow," she promises. Totally will be healed by then.

The look on her face says it'll happen, if she has to do it herself. Somehow.

"Sure," Superboy says warmly. "It's a date." He smiles. "Now come on, I got clearance to transport you." He pauses. "After explaining how the tactile telekinesis works and that you could literally get hit by a car and not get hurt as long as I'm protecting you with it." He hesitates, holds up a finger, and blurs, laying out her costume, bullet hole and all, then steps outside. "I'll let you get changed."

Cassandra Cain snorts at Kon's explanation. Like getting clearance has ever stopped her before. She rolls to her feet, putting the pain into a compartment after the first stumble, and gets dressed. Literally. In a dress.

Then she grabs her bat gear because Batman would kill her if she lost it, in ENGLAND, and besides what if they get attacked? She might need a batarang. She's shortly following Kon out of the room, though the swish of her skirt is new. Looks a little like a soldier brat wearing a dress, but that's fair. Superboy smiles at the dress, and escorts the girl out of the building. Might as well have a /little/ normal fun while they're here, right?