2013.12.31 - Identity Crisis, Volume 4

The city of Chicago, it's said, sinks a few inches every year, thanks to the the soft land around Lake Michigan. Consequently, there's almost an entire city beneath the one most people see, full of abandoned walkways, buildings, and other sorts of tunnels, passages, and chambers. The city of Gotham isn't much different, save that it's not technically sinking into the bedrock. Rather, it's just kinda 'paving over' those places where crime gets too bad to be controlled through other means. Consequently, there's a whole city beneath Gotham, too, a regular warren of interconnecting sewers, subways, and secret passages.

And the Bats (and Birds of Prey) know most of them.

Barbara Gordon was Batgirl long before she was Oracle. And while she was more familiar, then, with swinging over rooftops, now she has a much more comprehensive understanding of the city and its secrets. As a result, when the cybernetic ashwraith that keeps hacking the GCPD finally calls for a meeting, Oracle sends her directions to an old abandoned transit station buried deep under Kane St. The new Kane St. station is several blocks away, in a slightly better part of town. The old one, however, is a monument to 30's style and pinache... all of it worn down to an almost post-apocalyptic grunge, thanks to years of abandonment and neglect by everyone except the occasional lowlifes that have set up camp in its tunnels on and off over the years. The most recent clearing of these tunnels was actually only a few months ago. So, it's still fairly clear, now.

Sat up on a decaying buttress, dressed in the new higher tech suit (sans cape and pointy ears) she's prepared for herself -- something that doesn't quite scream 'Batgirl', since Cass has that covered and Babs doesn't want to rain on her parade -- Oracle waits for the ashwraith to show herself.

She is restless, however, keeping still only out of years of practice, rather than desire. Her face mask includes a visor that provides a full spectrum of data, including various optical enhancements to make the near dark a non-issue for her. Conveniently, however, she's scattered a scant handful of light sticks around to provide some illumination... even if she's chosen the shadows, for now.

Not only the Bats knew most of the city under the city but also the scumbags - and oddly enough the historians with their old maps. From those Jane had gotten her information on how to come to the meeting point, but instead of just coming there with all her belongings she had tucked the valuables in a locker at Gotham Central Station, while she herself had tucked the tonfas into their carrier strapped to her back, almost hidden under the jacket. Her collapsible jo however was clearly visible, measuring almost 3 of its 4.5 feet, the metallic plating on the ends shimmering in the low light as the woman closes in, the tip clacking on the concrete floor. "Oracle?"

"Here," Oracle replies, the digitized, androgynous voice echoing a little out of the shadows, possessing a slight harmonic as it escapes the suit's speakers. There's a zinging sound and a light thump. The ashwraith isn't the only one armed. Oracle possesses all of the expected Battricks, and a few of her own, besides. Most obvious of any of them, as she steps into the ambient circle of greenish-white light, are the escrima sticks on her thighs. "Nice to meet you in person. So to speak."

"Ashes had told me that you would wait for me here... That you might be able to help where she failed." Jane answers, the staff in her hand helt low in a basic position that might not be defensive, but she can get it up in an instant. "So I must tell, Ashes is not here, just me. Jane..." she answers, stepping into the soft circle of illumination. Dirt on her jacket, the boots covered in dust, for sure she walked. "So, here I am. What you have to offer what Ashes couldn't?"

"I don't know," Oracle says frankly, her own hands held loosely at her side in a classic neutral stance. "From what she told me, you've got some sort of 'datavore' on your hands. I can't say I've ever encountered anything like that, before. But, I can't dispute her, either. I'm not finding a trace of you anywhere. Even my own AI and databases seem prone to it -- which, I might add, I find more than a little disconcerting." She prides herself on a remarkably tight system, after all. "Funny how it doesn't leave even the slightest digital trace. No logins, no hacking attempts. I even tried writing out some notes on it. You'd never know it, too look at the paper. If I didn't have an eidetic memory, myself, I'd think I was going mad."

She paces to the side now, keeping to the perimeter and leaving enough space between them to keep either from feeling overly threatened. It's symptomatic of her restlessness, however, that prowl. "So, why don't you tell me a little about what you know about yourself. Maybe there's something we can start with there."

"I don't really know about that Datavore and for sure I don't have it on my hands. I just can tell that noone can tell who the hell I fucking am." Jane answers with a grunt, pulling the staff up an inch and slamming it into the dirt. A small cloud moves up from it, soon settling on the ground "I see, if even you, the world best hacker, can't solve it, then Ashes has had no chance at all, even if she is second to no too many. But what I know about myself? Ashes told me you saw the file before it fell apart... That's what I know. Found KO on Gotham airport, no traces of where I came from, no camera bands of me entering. Hospital kicked me out as nothing seemed to be wrong. Want to know more? I live of money I beg, have about one dufflebag of stuff and nothing else."

"How quickly to do files decay?" Oracle asks now. "The one... Ashes, did you say? The one she planted in the PD datbase crumbled pretty fast. And, for that matter... do people you've met since your unfortunate experience at the airport remember you?" A beat. "Aside from me, I mean." She taps the temple of her cowl. "Eidetic memory. The only time I forget anything is due to serious trauma."

"No idea how fast, but People seem not affected. That Karolina did remember me. Dean, I guess like the actor." Jane answered, her hands caressing the staff in her hand a bit "And Ashes does too, she can even remember where to meet, but that seems not to be affected on files at all. J.R. 14:00, 14th/Broadway is an entry that seems not to be affected." she replies, her eyes wandering over the form of Oracle "hiding your face in front of a citizen in peril I see?"

"Safer for both of us," Oracle replies matter-of-factly, not in the least apologetic. She's not the only hero to hide her identity behind a mask. Nevertheless, she considers the information she's given. "J.R." She remembers the file she read. "Jane Roe. So, initials are fine... just not a full identification. Interesting."

She regards the girl for a long moment, optics recording a full spectrum analysis on Jane. She'll be interested to see how much of it survives. But, even the live feed is useful, identifying weapons -- or likely weapons -- as well as biometric responses. Presently, she says, "I'd like to run some tests. Digital, mostly. Nothing physically invasive. I can put you up in a safehouse while I do. Meals, room and board. Up to you, of course, but it's the best I can do, right now."

"As long as I get a TV and some flow of news, it might be an idea but I have no idea on if it makes too much sense. You shouldn't expect money... Cause I have... 30 bucks in change." Jane answers, her feet spreading just a bit as she seems to assume a more comfortable stand, but it is also a more secure one. "Look, I have no idea who you are, but if I gonna take that safehouse offer, you must convince me that it is not threat. And up to now I just know you are someone called oracle, you hide your face and voice and that you are a godlike hacker. Not very assuring to someone in my situation, is it? After all you are in the circle of suspects who might be able to pull of a program like that." Insecurity about her situation is obvious, as is her combat readiness.

A dry chuckle, incongruent with the digitized voice, sounds from the superhacker. "I don't need your money. And, as far as I'm concerned, you can come and go from the safehouse as you wish. Your friend Ashes is a good enough hacker to verify my credentials with the JLA." She slides a leather badge folder out of her pocket and tosses it in a gentle underhand towards the girl. "But, you can look at them yourself." Not, mind, that most people have seen valid JLA ID. She gives a mild shrug, now. "You don't have a whole lot of options here, Miss Roe. You can keep relying on Ashes, working by herself, or we can work together and, instead of fearing my 'god-like' hacker abilities, you could have them on your side." The wry smile that touches her lips is invisible beneath her mask. Pity. "For as long as I determine you're not a threat to me or my city, anyway. Frankly, given the fact there's no information to be found about you out there right now? I'd say I'm taking just as much of a risk."

"Oh, I am not a risk? Then I guess that guy who ended up steaming when I hit him with this is not one either... well he kinda turned gas and that was quite flammable." Bragging? No, just a bit exaggerating. Her muscle memory was quite ok, as was her memory after all, just... all events prior to her arrival vanished.

Going only so far to her knees to catch the badge, she also repositions the staff in an almost reflexive movement, the far end hovering over the ground while the other aligned with her arm, as if being an elongation of it. "careful, I couldn't tell if this was a fake if it isn't written on it. And to be frank, here is no photo in it, so you could be anyone." With a clap the badge gets closed again to travel back, on a much more direct trajectory, almost as if aimed. While the stance of her is not too much a hint, playing cards ARE a weapon in that style she had practiced, and that is the only style of kobudo which uses them.

Oracle was once apprentice to Batman. She knows fighting styles. Even those she doesn't practice herself. Deftly, her gloved fingers snatch the folder from the air, smoothly sliding it back into a pouch. "I didn't say you weren't a risk, Miss Roe. I said I didn't deem you a threat. Not yet. I could be persuaded to change my mind about that, however. But you really wouldn't like it."

That's polite Oracle-speak for 'Don't push your luck, kid.'

She turns her face to the young woman, now, voice taking on a firm edge. "No matter what rumours you may have heard to the contrary, there are rules in Gotham, Miss Roe. And I'll expect you to abide by them, while you're here. The biggest rule is no killing, unless it's in self-defense and unavoidable. I don't care if you want to play vigilante, but the moment someone dies at your hand in this city, you are persona non-grata and I will make sure every hero and cop in the city memorizes your face before the file fades away. Are we clear?"

With a snort Jane reacts to the threat as if it was not just spoken but had an action accompanied with it - she pulls the staff closer, twisting the parts against each other to unlock them, releasing it to full length and grabbing it with both hands. "I dislike threats. Because they demand to get answered the same way. If you want something from me better ASK and not threaten me." Glaring along the staff she slides her feet over the ground a bit. Tokishinryu style, slow feet. "So want to act your threat now or apologize? Cause something like this is not very well for trust."

"Oh, it's not a threat, Miss Roe," Oracle replies evenly, neither caving nor rising to that bait, which isn't to say she isn't prepared for an attack. Her stance remains neutral, fingers loosely curled on her hands. "It's a statement of fact. If I wanted to threaten you, I'd invoke Batman." Patron saint -- or is that demon? -- of Gotham city's vigilantes. "I'm offering you aid and hospitality in my house. You can at least do me the courtesy of abiding by the house rules. If not, consider the offer reclined. Your choice."

The tip of the staff moves up just a bit, then a quick step forward followed. The staff seemed to push for the distance, but instead of trying to hit Oracle, it passed in front of her harmlessly, the tip going upwards more before she slams the other end to the floor, closing the step as the sound emerged. Not an attack position, but one to greet. "At least you are honest. So the house rule is no killing? That easy? Or did you miss to tell about some more? Because if I do not like something, it's dishonesty. I am honest about my situation." Bowing just a tad, she stays on her place, the eyes peering at Oracle in a way that seems to try to look behind the mask

Oracle's mask gives away nothing, much like Ashes' mask in the Net. And her body-language is fairly neutral as well, other than being unflinching. "If I think of anything else, I'll be sure to let you know." A beat as she seems to meet the other woman's gaze. "I'm used to dealing with vigilantes and people who work in the grey areas beyond conventional laws, Miss Roe. Murder is the one thing I won't condone. I've seen enough blood." Which doesn't mean she doesn't expect to see more, however hard she works to avoid it.

She slides a card from her wallet. It's irridescent and imprinted with a hologram that would be very difficult to reproduce. On it is also an address. "Take this. Show it to the agent that lives at that address. She'll make sure you've got a safe place to stay. I'll be in touch in a few days."

"Unless your sheduler forgets or the message gets compromised" Jane replies, peering at the holocard for seconds. badum. badum. badum. badum. Nothing but the sound of their hearts and the water in the tunnels breaks the silence, not even a breath of Jane. Eventually she grabs for the card, the tension in her body releasing into a jump backwards towards the way she came. The staff comes up again while the card vanishes in the pocket of the jacket. Instead of the feet the tip of the staff touches the ground first, acting as a rotational point for Jane's body, turning her to face the exit she was intent to pass through, then the weapon releases a hissing sound as she turns it behind her back several times, the air passing along its sides as she moves away - she might not have eyes in her back, but it is easy enough to see that she does not feel absolutely safe - or she needs to show a bit off to make sure she is not underestimated.

Oracle makes no move to follow. She's dealt with skitish types before, after all. Most of her Birds are skitish... and she takes care of Cassandra Caine, the queen of skitish. So, she remains at the edge of the greenish-white pool of light for several moments, watching the girl's heat signtuare recede. Only once it's gone does she make her own retreat. Back into the tunnels to find her father.