Birds of Prey & the Question: Crush

Three

Renee Montoya smiled as she looked down at Barbara Gordon, the moment stretching out between them as they stood there in the glow of the afternoon sun. 'She has pretty eyes,' Renee found herself admitting as she met Babs' gaze....

The door to the townhouse of the Gordon family opened before Babs could reply to Renee's earlier comment, James Gordon looking at the two of them fondly. “I got back just a little while ago,” he admitted, “how was your day?”

Renee watched Babs answer then she nodded to him respectfully. “It was fun,” she agreed even as she felt her pager pulse against her side silently. “Damn,” she muttered, fishing it out and recognizing Tot's number.

Dr. Aristotle Rodor had been a ally and friend of the first Question, Vic Sage. After Sage's death he had asked 'Tot' to assist Renee, and after a somewhat hostile start they had found much in common. Tot maintained a website searching for possible cases for the Question, as well as assisting her in scientific matters.

“Business?” Babs guessed, giving her a sympathetic smile.

“Yeah,” Renee admitted, “I've got to go.” She reached out and took Babs hand as she added, “I had a great time. Maybe we can do it again sometime?”

“I'd like that,” Babs agreed, squeezing her hand gently then let it go.

With that Renee hurried off, pulling out a cellular phone once she was confident she was out of listening range. Walking at a brisk pace she dialed, waiting for a answer. “Tot, it's Renee,” she said wryly, “you interrupted my talking to a pretty lady again.”

“Again?” Tot laughed, “It's not my fault.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Renee chuckled as she walked along. “What's the situation?”

“News on Intergang,” Tot told her seriously, “several police reports say they've been hitting Star Labs and other high tech facilities, looking for technology they can weaponize.”

“Damn,” Renee muttered as she made her way down a crowded street. “You wouldn't be telling me this unless they were near....”

“They hit a technology developer in Bludhaven a few days ago,” Tot agreed, “it looks like Gotham's next on the list.”

Renee turned a corner, pausing as she saw the young men loitering along the street. “Any idea who they might hit?” she asked as the three headed for her.

“There's Wayne-tech, of course,” Tot noted, “as well as Kord and Star Labs Gotham.”

“Too many to stake out,” Renee noted calmly as a boy unrolled a length of chain. “Excuse me for a second....”

One boy in black leather smiled coldly, “Give us your cash and no one has to get hurt.”

“I have a counter offer,” Renee smiled at them pleasantly as she said, “leave now and you all get to keep your teeth.”

The boys blinked then with a roar the biggest of them charged at her as he hollered, “Don't be dissing us!”

“Wouldn't dream of it,” Renee ducked under her attempt to grab her, rabbit punching him in the gut and sending him staggering back breathlessly. She kicked up, hard, and slammed the heel of her flat shoes into his mouth, flattening him as he spat blood and teeth.

“Shit!” one of the three dropped his knife and fled, but the last boy with the chain had a bit more guts. Either that or he had a lower learning curve, charging in with a cry as he swung the length of chain.

Renee backed up, keeping a eye on him knowing a chain could be a deadly weapon in skilled hands. Sidestepping a swing she grinned as the chain wrapped around a lamp pole then swiftly stepped in, dropping him with a palm strike to the chin.

“Sorry, Tot,” Renee smiled as she left the unconscious men sprawled on the ground, “got distracted for a moment.”

“Had fun?” Tot asked.

“Yes, actually,” Renee agreed as she reached her office. She shrugged off her jacket one handedly and hung it by the door as she mused, “No way the Commish doesn't know. Any idea which one they'll hit?”

“Kord sounds the best bet,” Tot admitted, “they're working on a improved taster/stun device. Up the voltage and it'd be quite deadly.”

“Where did you hear that?” Renee asked curiously.

“It's on certain bulletin boards...” Tot paused thoughtfully as Renee's tone of voice reached him, “You think the information was planted?”

“It'd make sense,” Renee sat behind her desk, “it'd make lovely bait. I just wish I knew if Intergang will go for it....”

Intergang was a difficult opponent to predict, in part due to it's strange nature. On one hand it was a typical gang, though admittedly one driven by superior technology and resources. But on the other hand it was also some kind of strange crime cult, following semi-mythic 'Crime Bibles' and seeking to bring about the biblical end of the world. Fighting that cult had been what caused her to put on the mask of the Question in the first place....

Putting that aside for the moment she mentioned to Tot, “I was approached by agents of Oracle last night.” Renee could easily imagine Tot leaning forward eagerly at that and grinned. Ever since Tot had learned of the super-hacker Oracle he had been intrigued by her, becoming something of a fanboy.

After several minutes of grilling about who she met, what happened etc. etc. Tot asked, “Have you decided on her offer?”

“I asked for a face to face meeting,” Renee admitted. “Do you think that was a mistake?”

“Possibly,” Tot conceded after a moment. “Oracle is understandably concerned with keeping her identity a secret. I'm told not even the Justice League knows who she is.”

“If they want to know, they could find out,” Renee chuckled softly. She looked outside, taking in the setting sun as she said quietly, “I think I'd better get moving. Radio me if you come up with something new on Intergang.”

“Will do,” Tot promised. “And be careful out there.”

“Always am,” Renee smiled as she hung up.

Dressing for work always took some thought for Renee. All her clothes had been treated to react to the unique gas she used to become the question, so she had multiple options. Deciding on something simple and easy to move in she donned slacks and a t-shirt, throwing a jacket on that matched her pants. With a grin she added Vic Sage's old fedora and headed out, locking up her office behind her.

In a alley Renee removed her unique mask from a specially built belt buckle, smoothing the material over her face as she released the binary gas. The material bonded to her face painlessly, unremovable except by a second gas, and the color of her clothes changed as the gas clung and swirled around her mysteriously.

Following her instinct the Question made her way to the Gotham branch of Star Labs, the faceless woman circling the building thoughtfully. The place was only lightly guarded, with several obvious openings in their perimeter. Sniffing in disdain Question made her way up the facility's roof, scouting around warily.

She could feel the presence behind her as a familiar voice asked, “What are you doing here?” Question turned to look at the Black Canary, a blond superheroine and legacy hero whom Renee and the Question had met at various times. They weren't friends, exactly, but they knew each other.

“Staking out the place,” Question answered coolly, not really looking at her as she swept the sky. “You, too?”

“Oracle asked me to take a look,” Black Canary admitted as she walked to Question's side. “Why do you want to meet her?” she asked as they waited.

Question shrugged slightly as she answered, “Curiosity, I suppose. And... I'm not the most trusting person in the world.”

“Heh,” the Canary smiled slightly.

To be continued....