The Universe's Mixer

Hannibal had taken River from the jail and gotten good food into her, made sure that she ate until she couldn't manage to do it anymore. From there, they had gone by her apartment, and his room at the Bates Motel to gather up things that they both thought they might want close at hand. Hannibal had found a very nice suite at a very nice hotel and gotten them set up inside. He doted on River and made sure she wanted for nothing.

After getting her cleaned up with the shower and then insisting that she also take a nice long soak in the giant spa tub, Hannibal had needed to leave. It was an interruption that he didn't want to have, but was necessary. He needed to at least make an appearance at the gala for Carmen's opening night. He had convinced River to take a sedative and sleep, and he would be back before she woke. With the happenings of Erik that night, he had managed to keep his promise and woken her to inform her of the surgery and to give her instructions to continue the sedatives and sleep more, leaving her a bottle by the side of the bed.

He had let her sleep on and off for a couple of days, waking her to make sure that she ate and bathed. Plying her with the richest foods that he could find, buying her exotic scented oils and bubbles for her baths. Spoiling her as much as he could, knowing that once they finally got down to business, it would be an unhappy task, and wanting her to have as much downtime as possible before she had to face the truth.

Now, with Erik's needs behind him, Hannibal returned to the suite once again. It was time, he knew, to help River with her needs. He had not supplied her with more sedatives in the past 12 hours, wanting her sleep to be more natural and her head to be clear when she woke. In his hands he carried a gourmet breakfast, which he began to set out at the nice little dining table that their suit contained.

He would let these things happen as River dictated them, but they would happen today. He didn't think it wise to let it linger any longer.

"River?" He called quietly as he placed the silverware.

After dropping off the gas mask for Enigma and giving Dean the chance to look the young woman over, the two headed over to the Clock tower. Dinah had sent out messages to everyone that could help, asking them to meet there. She still wasn't sure who would show up and who would simply want to work on their own, but she had to try.

She had called Jen as well but for now she was going to keep the mayor out of it. She still needed to drop in and have a talk with Jack Heart since she was back in a leadership role and it was a new team, but there were more pressing matters right now.

Once everyone arrived, Dinah didn't waste a whole lot of time on introductions or smalltalk. She very briefly introduced everyone by their superhero code names if they had one, figuring that it was up to each of them whether they wanted to broadcast their real name. Even if secret identities weren't very possible with everything in the City's library, Dinah wasn't going to be the one to share anyone's identity without their permission.

She began by explaining the plan that the Joker and the Scarecrow had to spread the Scarecrow's fear toxin. She also gave a history of the Joker's actions in the City, trying to impress upon them just how dangerous he could be. She made it clear that no one was required to do this and that she would understand if anyone decided to opt out of this particular mission.

Once it was determined who would participate, then they worked out individual assignments for everyone. She also made sure that everyone had comm-link earpieces so they could all stay in touch, and handed out the gas masks that Hank had put together to everyone. She didn't want to risk anyone getting dosed.

Dinah still wasn't sure how her first official meeting back as leader and with the new recruits had gone but fortunately, she didn't have much time to think on it. Not with the threat of the Joker and Scarecrow looming over the City.