2012-08-27 Aftermath - Electric Boogaloo

After a bumpy ride on a horse to get to the clinic, Daredevil looks a little less in control than he did on the roof. He is holding his arm gingerly and there is a bit of blood still to be seen soaking through the bandage. His head moves as if looking around at the clinic that he was brought too, but really he is listening and getting a feel for it in a radar kind of way. He can hear someone coughing in another room. He can smell the unwashed masses that rely on Dr. Thompkins clinic. Overall, he nods and likes it. "This place seems like my kind of place. Reminds me of a similar clinic back in Hell's Kitchen."
Late evening/early night, there was a white blur through Gotham--well, white, red, and purple. The Phantom's horse, Hero, had streaked through the streets and alleys as fast as her hooves could take her, led by a grey wolf who ran point. It's an efficient system, which is the main reason Hero was able to arrive at the clinic before the motorcycle. That and maneuverability; even a motorcycle can't dance and weave around parked cars.When they get to the clinic, the Phantom helps Daredevil to the ground and offers support if it's required. He's been banged up, himself, a few times, so can well sympathize. "Have to admit, I haven't been in Hell's Kitchen too much," he replies with his usual easy smile, trying to aim the man toward a chair. "But if it's a place like this, I might have to stop by more often."
Evening at the clinic. Fortunately, it seems to be a slow evening. An older man waits patiently in the waiting room filling out papers, while a triage nurse slash receptionist is finishing her last bit of shiftwork before the night skeleton crew step in. It's quiet, though a small TV in the waiting room offers some white noise, a newscaster much like a gaggle of the others reads off news. So and so and stocks and ... it's white noise, anymore. All of the horrible things leading the headlines. Hope you make it home alive. It's almost an odd contrast to the patient, steady atmosphere of the clinic itself. The receptionist looks up and blinks, seeing the new comers. "May I help you?" She asks quietly. She looks more than a little concerned at the injured man being lead in. She cranes her neck, even. A doctor leads his patient out, advising her to cut back on breads and sugars. Yes, yes, she nods, likely just letting it brush away from her... but they fall quiet, as the newcomers arrive. She nods and hurries out then. "Pardon me." The doctor looks curious.The doctor who has spotted them is a younger fellow, black framed glasses a little far down his nose before they nudge them up. The old man filling out papers even blinks, too. The place is frozen as they watch. After a heart beat, the doctor looks to the old man, who grunts, "Hell, son. What are you lookin' at me for? I'm not springing a leak..." Ah, grumpy old compassionate man. He doesn't seem to be done with his papers, either. Either way, they have medical staff's attention.
Huntress shows up less than half a minute after Phantom and Daredevil enter the clinic and cuts the engine of her Ducati as soon as she spots Hero. She'd called ahead via her comlink with Oracle, letting the staff at the Thompkins Clinic that one of their 'off the books' type of patients was inbound, but apparently forgot to tell them that masked sort don't commonly just walk in the front door. At least they don't here in Gotham. Pushing the motorcycle into an adjoining alley, she curses under her breath, then runs to catch up to them. Oracle is gonna KILL her for this. She just knows it.
Daredevil hears the place go quiet as they get the attention of the medical staff. If he had been thinking, he probably would have gotten help towards a side door or waited for Huntress to get there as again, this isn't his city. "Don't suppose they would buy a costume party?" he whispers over to Phantom as the man helps him.
"Costume party?" repeats the Phantom in a similar whisper, grinning as he tilts his head a bit. "Hope we're not asked what we're dressed as..." Once the man in red is settled, he goes over to the doctor, smiling warmly. "Hello, my friend here has had a small accident. Nothing too serious, but we do well know that you can never be too careful." He's giving one of his best smiles, hopefully reinforcing the notion that there are plenty of costumed types out there who are decent people, like the ones this clinic would stay open for.
"..." The staff just blink collectively. The nurse/receptionist just shakes her head and peers at the monitor on her desk. "Oh. We were expecting you," She smiles - though it's more a habit than anything genuinely happy. She looks to the doctor, who 'ohs' softly. "Right." Cough. Apparently they -did- get Huntress' memo. Though, they seem a bit baffled by all of the costumes. Maybe they figure it's just an embarrassing party act. The old man is chortling softly to himself, amused as all hell. Well. Maybe in his day they only went to the clinic if blood, death or vomit was involved... but this? Is a new one to him. The awkward silence hangs like a mourner's veil for just a moment.The nurse sighs. "You are the -slowest-," She eyes the doctor, who comes out of his daydream spell. "What? Oh no! Um, right this way. This room's open." This amuses the old man also. He just shakes his head. The doctor waves them over, at least.
Huntress is about to step through the doors when she hears Phantom greeting the Clinic staff in a very not-Gotham-vigilante-esque manner and ducks back away from the door with a curse. Her own costume is distinctive enough that it would NOT be mistaken for something a party-goer would have thrown together. The crossbow most especially. She hisses a string of harsh words in Italian, then runs BACK around to the side of the clinic and knocks on the nondescript door there.
Daredevil gets up from the chair that Phantom had set him and walks back the way the nurse and the doctor are heading. He turns his head left and right and gives a slightly sheepish grin at the others in the waiting room. "Sorry about this folks. Out of towners." He is quickly through the door before he can say anything else that would probably collect even more unneeded attention. He can hear Huntress's knock and curses silently under his breath for not waiting for her earlier and getting into this uncomfortable position.
Outside, when the purple-clad woman heads to the front doors, the grey wolf--Devil--watches her curiously. He remembers her, of course, and starts padding up to her--only for his ears to flick up when she suddenly bolts. Devil trots right after her; technically, he wasn't told to stay with Hero. Technically. An oversight of the Phantom's, likely, but still. When she gets to the side door, he comes up to her and sits down, looking up and watching her. And no, he won't be leaving her side just yet; the wolf is far too curious.As for the Phantom himself, he nods to the doctor and heads for Daredevil, to walk alongside and a step behind. He actually has a sense of preserving dignity, so isn't walking with his hands hovering just nearby or anything; no, staying close should be enough. When they get into the room, he asks, "Do you want us to wait out front, or...?" It's mostly an identity-issue thing. Who knows what may come up in the examination, and they wear masks for a reason.
The nurse watches and shrugs. "Up to him," She grunts. She apparently intends to finish her work so she's not stuck late. Off the books means she need not deal with it aside from a note or two on what went down for ... certain eyes. The doctor stops spacing out for a moment and smiles politely. "I - would honestly need to take a look at - well, um..." Geez. He's never had costumed patients before. The nurse sighs. She should loan him her spine. "It's up to them. There's a box of face masks if you must. I swear you're helpless..." She's apparently been at this far, far too long. The old man filling his papers snickers. He knows who wears the pants in here. Hehehe. The doctor turns a bit red and nods. "Y-yes, right this way, please... I don't think we could do major surgery here, but..." But likely... it would be fine to be here. Either way, the room is open for them. At the back side of the clinic, a door opens at Huntress' knock. A mousey looking blonde woman with wide hazel eyes opens it. "Oooh... yeah... we were kinda shocked you showed up at the front..." She bites her lower lip. "But... I think... it's okay." She speaks haltingly, hesitatingly. She steps away, to let Huntress in. It's an interesting game of Nurse Pong as it were. "... to come in..."
Huntress breathes a sigh of relief when the mousy woman lets her in. "Good to know. Which room are they in?" She starts down the hallway to find Phantom and Daredevil, glancing at each exam room doorway as she goes. Impatient, much? It's not until Huntress stops at a hallway intersection that she realizes that Devil is following her. Many, many curse words actually manage to NOT leave her mouth. Yeah. Oracle is TOTALLY going to kill her. She reaches to lightly snag a bit of the wolf's scruff so HOPEFULLY the medical staff won't completely freak out.
"I can let you see the shoulder without removing the mask," Daredevil says with a nod. "Wish I could say this suit was more complicated." He takes a seat in the examination room and unzips the front of his outfit and gingerly pulls his left arm and shoulder out of the costume. His body has its fair share of scars already on it. He puts his right hand over the bandage as he can feel what remains of the bolt move as he gets the shoulder free. He winces as the bleeding starts again, leaking from beneath the bandage.
Devil of course trots after her when she enters the building, sniffing and looking around curiously. He actually keeps pace with Huntress, not going far from her for his own reasons. When she stops, he looks up at her, and when she starts reaching for him he gets something of a canine smile--which fades when his fur is grabbed. He looks up at her with surprise and skepticism, as if asking what the heck that was for. He gives a few tugs, though isn't really trying to squirm away.Inside the room, the Phantom nods once to the nurse and crosses his arms in a relaxed pose. "I'll wait, then, if it's alright with you," he says, looking to Daredevil. "Might be able to help with a few details of the incident, if it comes down to it." Though he's pretty sure it wouldn't Something about the other man is just too keen to forget much, even in as much pain as he's got to be now.
Heywaitaminute... Mouseynurse opens her mouth. Closes it. Rubs the back of her head. "Nnh... Well..." She doesn't seem to have the spine to really push the point. But still, she's got THE EYE expression going on. She definitely doesn't look thrilled. Mercifully, the nurse with the spine is up front and unawares for now. The doctor nods and shrugs. "... I'm sure we'll see stranger things," He offers helpfully. For now, he will take a look at the left arm. They at least seem to gronk what off the books patients mean. The doctor washes his hands, dons gloves and moves to take a look. Let's see... A ... crossbow bolt...? The doctor apparently has a poor pokerface as his expression shifts. He sort of blinks a couple of times. "Well. I guess it's no more odd than some projectiles..." After all, there are people. And where there are people, there will be STRANGE INJURIES.With a soft sigh, the doctor looks towards them. "I think we can fish it out and take care of it with stitches." There's an unspoken gravity in his words. "If it's something I can't handle, we may refer you to the ER." Nod. It is a clinic, after all. "We'll numb you up first though. The nurse with the baseball bat's out so ..." So you actually get anesthetics! Turns out the doc has a weird sense of humor. "... kidding. She'd slap me if she heard that." Sigh. Either way, it's numbing time!
Huntress looks around, huffing in annoyance as she remembers that her last visit here is ... more of a pain-induced blur than clear memories. But then realization hits and she kneels down to look at Devil, letting go of his scruff and rubbing at one of his ears apologetically. "Hey, bud," she whispers to the lupine hopefully too quietly for anyone else to hear. "Where's your pet human hiding? Find him for me, please?"
Daredevil shakes his head. "No drugs, doc. They mess with my head too much." He looks at the wound and then up to the doc. "It isn't barbed, but more like a javelin point. Hopefully it won't rip anything coming out. Just wanted to be here in case it was holding something in place," he says with a soft chuckle. He tenses and braces himself slightly for the pain that is about to happen. "Whenever you are ready, doc."
The wolf still looks a little indignant when he's finally released, but the rubbing-attentions get him on her good side again, and he relaxes a little. At her request, it takes a beat for the meaning to sink in, and he huffs softly as he starts sniffing around, taking a few steps one way, then another, nose high in the air. The Phantom hadn't come this way, so his scent isn't on the ground, but... Ears flick, and he looks back at Huntress, huffing again before starting off at a quick trot, through the maze of halls, dodging people, and looking back now and then to make sure Huntress is with him, until he takes her to that door.And beyond that door, the Phantom watches the proceedings with more than a little sympathy, and respect as well. Takes someone dedicated, in his book, to refuse pain-killers when they're likely really needed. "At least the nurse with the bat is out today," he says with a grin. "Small favors, right?" He definitely appreciates a good joke.
The doctor blinks at Daredevil. "Um. I was just going to use some local anesthetic... we have to be careful dispensing pain meds." Namely, pain prescription addicts and the new laws and such. They are clamping down on prescription abuse. If there's no objection, he'll clean a patch of skin near the wound and set about his needly based task, sparing people the agonizing description of. A bit of time will pass and the Daredevil will likely feel his shoulder go numb. Might even feel a bit strange to feel his hand, but not his shoulder. To spare the folks in the room, the doc's blocking view of the wound and work with his own shoulders. Mouseynurse pokes her head in, and he requests a tray and a few things.There's a pause. "...kay..." It takes her a moment, but she's soon there, tray and all. They'll commence work. They seem to be a quiet, polite pair. Though, he does offer, "Looks like it didn't hit anything that'd leave lasting damage... might be a little tingly or numb for a day or two. Take it easy with this arm, alright?" The soft CLINK of a something being put in the tray. "... do you want to keep that by the by? Some people always ask..."
Huntress watches Devil for a moment, then again breathes a sigh of relief and hurries after him, trying to keep no more than a step behind him. When the finally reach the door, she puts a hand on wolf's scruff (but doesn't grasp the fur this time) and reaches to knock. Hopefully that will avoid startling the doctor and nurse in the process of removing the bolt from Daredevil's shoulder.
"You might want to open the door," Daredevil says as Huntress stands outside ready to knock. "Our friend is outside." He is speaking to Phantom and then looks back to the doctor with a shake of his head. "That's alright. I've got enough trinkets like that already. Thanks for getting it out of the shoulder though."
Arching a brow in curiosity, the Phantom turns and opens the door--to see Huntress mid-knock-pose and Devil looking up at him. "Why am I not surprised?" he mutters good-naturedly, stepping back to allow both admittance. Devil smiles in that canine way as he heads inside, though stays near the wall away from the others and sits on his rump. "I hope he wsn't too much trouble," says the Phantom, looking at Huntress apologetically.
The two look apologetic, realizing what's going on. The doctor nods and continues to work, the nurse passing him supplies as needed. Dab, clean, work, dab. Fortunately, the wound doesn't seem to be limb threatening, so it's no worse than pulling a stick out of an arm or what have you. People are amazing for their capacity to injure themselves and others. So likely, they won't note this down as one of those whacky hospital stories. Thread and needle are passed over. "If you feel any tug, it's just me. Stitches now. They'll dissolve as it heals, so ... you won't have to come visit us unless you'd like. Now. If you notice any redness, feeling of heat, pus, oozing or develop a fever, contact us or your local ER right away. If you've got neosporin, that wouldn't hurt to put on it." He'd offer pain killers, but well. "If you need any pain killers, give us a call and we can give you a small script to take to your pharmacy." Snip. Stitch. The nurse also acts as a privacy block, though she eyes the wolf and the others warily. At least she's mousy enough to just -stare- rather than act. "Almost done here..." Thankfully, a remove 'n stitch isn't the biggest, most complex thing they do here and it was slow.
Huntress shakes her head no to Phantom, also stepping to stand against the wall by the door. The exam room is probably a bit too small for this many people (Devil included) if they all insist on standing in the middle of the room, and she knows only too well it would be Not Good (tm) if she got in the doctor's way. "He led me here," She says quietly to the other purple-clad vigilante-ish person, trying to make it seem like she's not as comfortable around the lupine as she actually is.
Daredevil lets a slight smile cross his face as he listens to doctor's instructions. "Course, doc. Back home they call me the model patient." The scars on him would contend otherwise, but Daredevil doesn't elaborate. He simply concentrates on where the wound and what the doctors are doing. Much as he can filter voices from a crowd, he slowly and with concentrations is able to ignore the pain that the needle and thread cause as they knit him back together. Of course, the local helps too so he can spare some attention to the others in the room. "Heck of a way to experience Gotham City for the first time, huh?"
"You and I are going to have a talk later about explicit versus implicit instructions," the Phantom mutters to Devil with a smile, who just studiously ignores him and watches the personnel work on Daredevil. "At least you led her here, so that's good." He stands on Devil's over side, leaning against the wall. "I've got to say, Gotham's a heck of a place so far. Heck of a place. Kept on your toes, that's for sure." Never know who you're going to run into on a rooftop, for example.
The doc just smiles faintly at that. "Well, that's good. Just be watchful. Don't want it going septic on you," He offers quietly. And really, that would be pretty bad what with flesh eating bacteria cruising about. Tink. Finally, the needle is set down. The cool dab of alcohol and a bit of gauze over the stitches. "That's just to keep it dry for a little. You can take the gauze off later," He advises. "But other than that, you should be done here." The paperwork and such are likely handled quietly, behind the back door. He smiles apologetically. He didn't want to ignore people, but well, doctoring. "And it is. So ... be careful. That's about it for now. Any questions?" If there are none, he will quietly herd them out so he can wrap up and go home. The nurse eyes Devil again.
Huntress watches the doctor and nurse leave, once again grateful that she learned about this clinic. Sure wasn't anything ELSE to appreciate about getting her ass handed to her by that red-masked lunatic. She then follows everyone else back out of the clinic, oddly glad to see that Hero is standing by her Ducati as if making sure it stayed there. "Hey," she says to Daredevil without any of the usual snark in her tone. "I'm sorry about that. Anything I can do to help you get back home?" She might even consider using her car. Maybe.
Daredevil moves his arm gingerly as they walk out of the clinic. He can feel each stitch and silently counts them as they move. He turns to face Huntress and shakes his head. "With what we do, it happens some times. Don't worry about it." He does offer his hand though. "I go by Daredevil when in the outfit. Don't think any of us actually told each other anything." He looks to Phantom and smiles. "Might as well be as we separate."
And Devil looks back at that nurse with a friendly expression, then get up when everyone is herded out to follow right along pleasantly. When they get outside, the Phantom grins at the others, and offers his hand to them for a firm grip each, though he'll be more careful about jostling Daredevil's arm. No need to upset that shoulder, after all. "Phantom," he says, then looks to the other two he introduces in turn. "That's Devil, and that's Hero. And are you sure? Hero's about the fastest thing on four legs." And the horse snorts quietly, head lifting a bit as she's referenced and complimented.
There's a weak smile from the nurse as she goes. The two will take care of the room and head their separate ways. They would likely wish to go down before sunset/traffic jam/missing their favorite TV show or what have you. They are polite to the group though, not rushing them. Actually, they seem perfectly content not to bother anyone for now. There's papers and cleaning to tend to. And the group is free to go - or has gone. Quiet settles over the clinic as it shifts into evening/night mode.
Huntress also takes Daredevil's hand firmly but careful of the just-applied stitches. "Huntress." She's clearly concerned about Daredevil making it home, but doesn't offer again after he declines. "I won't be offended if you decide to not come back after today, but if either of you do, I'll keep an eye out for you." Translate: she'll do her best not to shoot you, accidentally or otherwise.
"Takes more than an arrow to discourage me. If I need to come back, I will, and will be sure to look out better next time." Daredevil laughs softly and heads off down the alley. He jumps up with his good hand and catches a fire escape. He lifts himself up and then is quickly moving up towards the roof tops.
"One of these days, I really hope to be able to sit down and really talk about what the heck happened today," quips the Phantom, grinning to Huntress. "For now, though, I think he's got the right idea; it won't take the police long to start searching--and that means calling hospitals and clinics. All it takes is one less-than-happy employee, and they'll know we were here." Which means the police might be on their way right at that moment, for all he knows. "Something tells me we'll be seeing each other again soon, though," he says as he turns to head to Hero, patting her cheek before reaching for the pommel of the saddle in preparation of climbing up.
Huntress doesn't mention that this clinic in particular would not rat them out even if police officers did show up to ask questions. With one last almost unconscious pat to Devil's head, she steps over toward her Ducati. "Yeah, I'm getting that impression too." She turns the key on the motorcycle's equivalent of a dashboard, but waits to start the engine. She's not sure if the horse will be startled by it.
Devil looks up and wags his tail once when his head is patted; he's enough of an attention hound for that. When the Phantom hauls himself into Hero's saddle, he has her rear up in a classic Western-like move, and he gives Huntress a two-fingered salute as he grins at her. Once Hero's hooves touch the ground, Devil is off like a shot, leading the way and acting as point, helping guide the horse behind him, who gallops along with her rider hunched over the saddle.
Huntress startles. Damn. That explains how they beat her here. She starts the Ducati's engine, revs it so that it sounds like a jungle cat's screech, then takes off after them. Sort of. She's got her own route to follow and her own job to return to.
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