Doors

[After being shoved through the door.]

[Private to Stephanie B.]

Hey.

[Private to Dick G.]

Did Pennyworth come back? My sock pile is missing. Also, I'm getting a dog. Two dogs. And, a falcon.

[Private to Kara]

Sorry I missed our date.

[Public]

When it gets to the point that I have to floss the sand out of my teeth after having a goddamn cigarette, it's time to consider alternate real-estate options.

[Dylan M]

I figured out the perfect solution to your whole unemployment situation. Ready for this?

[Public from Tonks (JUST TONKS OK)]

I was definitely dreaming when I decided to write this down, so excuse me if it goes off the rails a little. See, when I got up this morning I was pretty sure it was the end of the bloody world or something. The sky was this weird shade of purple, there were people running around, trying to escape all of the craziness. I didn't care though. Because they always say that the year 2000 is when the party is over, that's it. The end. Out of time.

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

TONIGHT I'M GONNA PARTY LIKE IT'S NINETEEN NINETY NINE.

[The sand starts to abate on Monday night. It slows as the night progresses and, by the following evening, it's as if it had never come. Slowly, power comes back to the desert, and Passages returns to its prior state of decay and dust, no vestiges of the 1930s remaining. Coincidentally, the carnival, which remained unaffected by all of this, announces its imminent departure within minutes of the sand calming.]

[Not long after what happens in the desert, his phone rings.]

Oh thank God I can get out of here finally and back to work. That was not okay

[Locked to Sam A]

I'm sure Ben told you, but I'm back in. Got checked in this morning. Don't know how long it'll be this time. But. Yeah.

[Locked to Ben S]

Thanks. For everything. I really mean it.

[Public]

I don't like the kind of routines I'm developing in this city.

[call to Showgirl Video, in the evening. he asks for 'Blue' about five times before sufficiently annoying the girl on the other end, whereupon he relents and asks for Dolores instead. Thanks, doll.]

Riiing.

[public.]

We all made it out of sandstorm hell alive, right? Right. So, let's celebrate. Party at my place, bitches.

[Locked to Neil D]

Sam said I should probably tell you about who I have through my door. Just in case.

[batfam++]

[His comm clicks to life later in the day, but every word is voice transcribed for those who might not have had their comms on/for future reference. Brusque and clipped, as always, and with no preamble.]

I appreciate your patience. We're not quite ready to move on Arkham yet, but the time is drawing close. Those in the prison are currently clearing routes for us in Wonder City, which means we'll be going in and out from underground. That gives us the element of surprise until we come above ground and that means we'll have to move quickly.

I have schematics of the prison, as well as satellite images that give us a look inside. Study them. Know them. Learn where the guards are and when, how often they rotate, and how close they are to where we'll be entering from. I've indicated as such. Everything is on the computer in the Cave, and I've sent pertinent information to you all as well.

[Pause, and the echo of footsteps as he paces.] I'm still waiting to hear from the ones inside as to what their coordinates will be, so I'll update you when that happens. There are five we need to get out: Edward Nigma, Harley Quinn, Oliver Queen, Jason Todd, and [the briefest of pauses here] Selina Kyle. No one gets left behind, so we'll need to keep them together. Expect pursuit. Splitting up once we've all reached safety may be our best course of action, as they--and us--will need to lay low afterward and it's unwise to keep everyone in the same location.

I'll need some of you to stay with the prisoners. Most of you, in fact. Getting them out safely is the priority. The guards won't simply stand by and watch, however, so I'll need one or two of you with me to act as distractions. Superpowers won't work either, meaning we'll need to rely on your own skills and technology instead.

[Another pause, but this one lasts. The line goes quiet, not dead. Expectant silence.]

[iris m.]

[After the above, and a lot of cursor blinking.] Hello, Iris.

[Locked to Eddie, Jason, Ollie and Harley]

Miss me, boys? You too, diamond.

[Comm to Stephanie B]
[After Eddie asks nicely. Beep.]

I have done nothing but clean. Fuck, at least we took the truck and stayed at the Wynn for a few days, but that sand kicked the shit out of the RV, which means there is sand everywhere, and I cannot vacuum enough to get this shit out of the carpet, and the outside - I need a fucking pressure washer. Anyone got one of those?

At least the power is on and the air conditioning is working. What the Hell was that freak show?

Ideas, anyone? Bueller?

Back to cleaning.

[Sam]
How are you doing? Did you turn into a ball of sand too?

[Chay]
How about a massage later?

So...

I think I have found an apothecary shop to purchase, or we can start our own. It is in the most damaged section of Diagon Alley, but it is being rebuilt and is nearly ready to reopen. Unfortunately, much of the supplies were damaged in the war, so I will need to restock, but as they say, Location, Location, Location.

{Mum}
So now you know. I hadn't heard from you, but Harry told me that you know.