Rose Wilson: The Ravager #14

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#1  Edited By rav4

Previous Chapters: http://www.comicvine.com/forums/fan-fic/8/ravager4s-fan-fic-archives/660884/#1

Disclaimer: I do not own any DC characters or locations. All rights belong to DC Comics.

Rating: T+

Note: Alright, so here we have the beginning of the next arc, including the introduction of a few new characters. One thing I'd like to mention, for one of them, is that I apologize ahead of time if I screw up any of her Spanish words (it just sort of happened when I was writing her, she started slipping in a couple words here and there, because apparently I've made her fluent in both English and Spanish, though I still haven't determined what her actual ethnicity is), since my Spanish is extremely limited... also, if for any reason my writing of her ever comes across as offensive (I can't imagine it would, but hey, I've been known to screw up things before), then please let me know.

Rose Wilson: The Ravager #14

Int. Rose's Penthouse Suite – Morning

Six months. It seems like a long time, but if you don't pay attention, it can go by in the blink of an eye. For Rose Wilson, those six months went by even faster. It had been difficult, at first, adjusting to her new life; trying to juggle looking after Holly with working more than eight hours a day and fighting crime as Ravager. For a while, she honestly couldn't understand how Dick, as Batman, did the same thing, but eventually she'd fallen into a routine that she stuck to: get up early, make breakfast, get Holly to school, go to work, take her lunch break to pick up Holly from school, take her to a sitter, go back to work, go back to pick up Holly, return to the penthouse, make dinner, spend some quality time with Holly, put her to bed, set the security system, head out and beat up thugs for most of the night, come back and sleep for a few hours, then get up and do it all again.

It is, quite simply, a very hectic and tight schedule. However, Rose wouldn't trade it for anything at this point. For the first time in her life, she feels like she actually has, well, a life of her own. She isn't living in anyone's shadow, she isn't the sixth wheel on some team, and she certainly isn't being controlled by a manipulative, b**tard father. So what if her weekdays are busy and chaotic? At least she has the weekends completely free, allowing her to catch up on her sleep and spend even more time with Holly.

When Rose had first decided to take in Holly, it had been out of sheer desire to want to do something good for the girl. She hadn't known what she was getting herself into, raising a kid, nor did she realize how much she would end up liking her. Something about Holly just makes her happy, puts her at ease. She truly is a sweet, nice, and adorable young girl, who just happened to have been thrust into a horrible situation. In many ways, she reminds Rose of Lian Harper, the girl who she had been a nanny to for a short while, several years back. Deeply hidden maternal instincts? Perhaps. Whatever it is, Holly always has a way of putting a smile on Rose's face.

Sitting at the kitchen table, Rose sips from a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper (two things she never thought she'd ever be doing, least of all at the same time). Her eyes are focused on a front page headline that reads: 'The Blade Sighted Again, Breaks up Mugging.' Yeah, 'The Blade'. It's what the media's been calling her ever since she started frequently showing up as Ravager. Just goes to show how original they are. A short while later, the young blonde girl, Holly, approaches the table and hops up into a seat, swinging her legs back and forth with a smile.

Rose: Well, look who's finally up and about. Finish your shower?

Holly responds with an earnest nod.

Rose: And you got all your homework done yesterday, right?

Another nod.

Rose: Then I suppose you'll be wanting your breakfast now, huh?

The girl's smile widens, as she nods yet again.

Rose: Alright, alright, holds your horses.

One of these days, she really needs to get around to teaching Holly sign language. Head nods and written messages can only go so far. Getting up from her seat, Rose heads over to the stove to dish out the already prepared eggs and bacon, probably the only real breakfast foods she could cook without destroying them. She had tried pancakes once, but that didn't turn out so well, and her sausages ended up dried out and rock solid. Of course, that's why cereal is always on standby. Returning to the table, she sets the big plate of food down right in front of Holly, who proceeds to devour it.

Rose: Alright, so I should still be around to pick you up at the same time as always to take you to Mrs. Silva's. Today's my first 'real' day on the job, though. No more training, no more being babysat by an FTO, I'm all on my own now. Well, and my new partner, of course.

Swallowing a mouthful of eggs, Holly tilts her head slightly, holding it against her hand, and nods affirmatively. Rose folds her arms and forms a smile of her own.

Rose: Just remember to wish me luck.

The girl gives a thumbs up this time, mouthing the words 'good luck'. Rose has no doubt that Holly is really trying to say the words, but completely unable to make a sound with her vocal cords surgically cut. For a while, Holly had been completely crushed to learn that the condition was not temporary, and that she would never be able to talk again. In time, though, she moved on, recovering from the initial anxiety.

That's another thing Rose adores so much about the girl; she's strong willed. In spite of everything that had happened to her with Pavoni, somehow Holly finds a way to stay happy. Both she and Dick had thought that she might need therapy to get through the experience, but to their surprise, she found her own way to cope.

Rose: Alright, kiddo, finish up your breakfast and let's get going. If we don't leave in the next five minutes, we'll probably get stuck in traffic. Your backpack is by the door, and your lunch money is on the counter.

Holly polishes off the last of her food, then scurries away to finish getting ready for school.

Rose: And remember to brush your teeth!

Listen to yourself, Rose, you sound like a real parent. Totally bizarre.

Int. Silverstone City Central Police Station – Day

Four months of eight hour a day training, and two months of supervision under a field training officer, that's how long it took Rose to earn her spot in the SCPD. The station had hired her shortly after a recommendation by Dick, a former police officer himself; it was largely due to his word that she had been able to start her training so quickly, and of course her new identity helped, as well. The worst thing that a background check would bring up on her now is that she had graduated high school as a B student. Today is her first official day on the job, however, as a full-fledged officer, no longer a trainee. A rookie, sure, but at least she doesn't have to endure her FTO breathing down her neck anymore.

There were two primary reasons that she and Dick had settled on this career choice for her. One, it gives her a chance to do a different kind of good, when she's not going around the city at night as Ravager. And two, it allows her access to a lot of resources that she would not have access to otherwise, short of breaking into the station after hours, which can aid her in some of her side 'investigations' as Ravager.

Closing the door to her locker, Rose takes a moment to make sure that her uniform is in order. Belt, check. Radio, check. Cuffs, check. Gun, check. Badge, check. Flashlight, check. Baton, check. Taser, check. Everything else that goes on her belt... check. Hat... hat...

Where the hell is my hat?

As she opens her locker back up to check and see if she accidentally left her hat inside, a female voice interrupts her.

Woman: Looking for this?

Rose turns to the voice, noticing another officer standing behind her. The woman is tall, with stringy brown hair and a dark tan. She's pretty, too, the kind of woman a guy would kill for. And she's also holding up a standard issue police hat.

Rose: Uh... that mine?

Woman: Was on the floor under the bench, you must have knocked it off.

Rose: Damn it, figures. Thanks.

She takes the hat from the woman and then ties her hair back into a ponytail. Once her hair is straightened out, she slips the hat onto her head.

Woman: So, you Sarah Walker?

Rose: Hm?

Woman: Sarah Walker?

Sarah, right, that's me. New Identity.

Rose: Oh, yeah, sorry. I'm Sarah, but you can call me Rose. It's my, uh... middle name.

Becky: Well, Rose, pleasure to meet you. Name's Rebecca Chavez, but you can call me Becky.

Rose: Chavez? So you're my partner, huh? Nice to have a face to go with the name.

The two shake hands briefly, then Becky opens her own locker and starts to change into her uniform.

Becky: I saw your marks from the training course, you know; highest I think in the last decade... at least in the field. Your written tests, though... not so good.

Rose: What can I say? I'm more of a hands on girl.

A small laugh escapes Becky's lips, as she buttons up the top of her police uniform.

Becky: That's good, so am I. Never liked tests much, couldn't stand them in high school. Hell, I think I might have gone loco if I'd gone to college.

Rose: You never went to college?

Becky: Nah, my family could never afford it. I took a year off after high school, worked a few odd jobs, then decided to do something good with my life. Got myself hired here, went through training, been on the force ever since. That was about four and a half years ago.

Rose: So that makes you... twenty-three?

Becky: Twenty-four in a couple months.

Rose: Shouldn't you still have an old partner?

Becky: Had one, sure, then he went and got himself transferred over to the second precinct. Was working solo for a while, then they assigned me to the new bisoña, the rookie. But what about you, ah? You don't look old enough to have been through college, either.

Rose: Same story; out of high school, worked some... really odd jobs, then found myself here.

Becky: That makes you pretty young then, ah?

Rose: Twenty, next month.

According to my new birth certificate, anyway.

Becky: Oh dios, you're a baby. You have a lot to learn, but not to worry; I'll teach you everything you need to know.

A few moments later, Becky finishes getting dressed, and straightens her hat on her head.

Becky: Alright, if you're ready to go, let's head out on your first real day of patrol.

Rose: Looking forward to it.

Holding a hand to her belt, Rose gives a nod and follows her new partner out of the women's locker room.

Ext. Silverstone City Streets – Day

Rose sits passenger side in the police cruiser, while Becky drives it through their designated patrol area, consisting mostly of Midtown, and some of the East District.

Rose: So, you get to drive, huh?

Becky: Of course I get to drive, girl, I'm the senior officer, aren't I?

Rose: Well, I suppose if you want to go by that logic.

Becky utters a soft laugh, glancing at her partner out of the corner of her eye.

Becky: Don't worry, I might let you drive sometime. Eventually. Maybe.

A small, amused smile forms on Rose's face. As much as she's never been a 'people person', this woman is already starting to grow on her.

Rose: I'll be sure to remind you. Eventually.

Becky: So, Chief told me about your situation. Single mom?

Rose: Uh, something like that. I mean, she's not mine, but I look after her; legal guardian. Her name's Holly, great kid.

Becky: Oh yeah? How'd she end up with you, anyway?

Rose: She just doesn't have anyone else. It was chance that I even met her, let alone got to know her enough to want to look after the poor girl. She was in foster care before, but... well, it didn't work out for her. She went through a lot of crap.

Becky: Ah, pobrecilla.

Rose: Pobr... what?

Becky: 'Poor thing.'

Rose: I'm not gonna have to hire a translator to stick in the backseat, am I?

A slight smirk crosses Becky's face.

Becky: I'll try to keep it at a minimum, promise. Anyway, you heard about this 'Blade' character running around at night?

Rose: Ah, yeah, I think so. Read about it in the papers... some nut going around with swords and fighting crime, right?

Becky: Si, and it seems like every time she shows up, no one gets a good look at her. Gotta say, the mystery is intriguing.

Rose: You think?

Becky: Sure, mystery always makes for a good story.

Rose: I sense a 'but' coming.

Becky: Ha, so there is. I mean, I think it's great that someone out there wants to do some good, you know? But that isn't the way to go about it.

Rose: And what about guys like Superman, or Wonder Woman? Should they be going about it a different way?

Becky: It's one thing to have super powers, it's another thing for an ordinary person to be dressing up in a costume and running around the city at night with swords. She'll get herself or someone else killed real soon.

Rose: Batman might disagree.

Becky: Well... okay, maybe there are some exceptions, but guys like Batman, they've proven themselves. And this isn't Gotham, either; Silverstone doesn't really need someone like him.

At least as far as you know, Rose thinks. But there's a lot going on in this place that the police aren't aware of... case in point, Pavoni.

A few moments later, their police radio goes off.

Dispatch: We have a 211 in progress over at 324 Turckott Street, requesting immediate response.

Becky quickly reaches for the radio and holds it up to her mouth.

Becky: Copy that, dispatch, we're on our way.

Flipping on the lights and siren, Becky turns the cruiser around and starts heading back down the street in the proper direction.

Becky: A robbery on your first day, think you can handle it?

Rose: I'm pretty sure I'll manage.

Int. Marchini's Italian Restaurant – Day

The door to the restaurant opens, revealing a finely dressed woman in a fur coat entering. Her name is Emilia Marconi, and she walks calmly across the floor, heading straight for one of the tables in the back, the only table with anyone seated at it. In fact, the entire place is closed right now, something that they were sure to take care of. At the table are two other men, one aged and balding, the other younger with a neatly trimmed goatee. Both are dressed in clean suits, the older gentleman in blue, and the younger in black. She knows them both well; the older one is Rupert Thorne, and the younger is Frankie Baldoni. Both of them being the heads of rival crime families, she doesn't particularly like them; in fact, she rather detests them. However, today they're meeting with a common cause.

Thorne: Emilia, good of you to finally show up. Can I offer you anything to drink?

Emilia: Skip the pleasantries, Rupert, let's get down to business.

Thorne: Very well. So, I should assume we all know why we're here.

Frankie: Yeah, this new cape in town. The one everyone's calling The Blade. She took down one of my smuggling trucks last week, lost the shipment.

Emilia: And she caught my son last month breaking into the local jeweler's.

Thorne: I thought you hated that boy.

Emilia: Don't get me wrong, Jonathan is a real screw up, but he's still family.

Thorne: I see... well, my point is that we've all been hit by this new 'hero' running around Silverstone at least a couple times, and it doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon. The whole reason I packed up and left Gotham was to get away from those costumed freaks.

Frankie: So what do you want to do about it, huh?

Thorne: Well, that's why we're here, to figure it out. For now, I'm suggesting that we set aside our differences and work together on this, come up with a way to get rid of this Blade.

Emilia: I suppose I can live with that. For now.

Frankie: Yeah... for now. But no funny business, Thorne, you hear?

Thorne: Of course, I wouldn't dream of it.

Emilia: Did you have anything particular in mind?

Thorne: Well, I think we can all agree that our families and the people who work for us aren't anywhere near talented enough to take on someone like this.

Frankie: Hmph, you can say that again. This broad knows what she's doing, I'll give her that.

Thorne: So, perhaps it might be fitting that we bring in some... professional help.

Emilia: You mean hire someone to do it for us? I don't see why you would need us to do that.

Thorne: If my experiences with the Bat have taught me anything, it's that one pro is never enough. But these... assassins, you see, aren't what you'd call cheap. Spending that amount of resources to guarantee the job isn't something I'm willing to do.

Frankie: So what, you want us all to pool our resources and put up multiple contracts on her?

Thorne: That's one way of looking at it, yes. But I also thought I'd make things a little more interesting than that.

Emilia: Go on.

Thorne: I propose that we each choose one person, one professional to hire. With three killers on the job, there's no doubt that The Blade will fall eventually. However, we'll each be wagering a fair sum on our guy; the one whose assassin kills her, wins the pool.

The other two consider this for a moment. Emilia brings a hand to her chin, giving Thorne a long look, while Frankie pulls out a cigarette and lights it.

Emilia: I will admit, that does sound intriguing. How big a wager are we talking, exactly?

Thorne: A hundred grand.

Frankie nearly chokes on his cigarette.

Frankie: A hundred G's?!

Thorne: What's the matter, Frankie, too rich for you?

Frankie: No, no. It's fine. A hundred it is.

Thorne: In that case, I suppose the next step is deciding who to hire. I suggest we do it here and know, so no one ends up trying to hire someone who's already taken. There are only a handful of people out there capable of taking on a task like this, after all.

Emilia: Very well. We'll even let you pick first.

Grinning slightly, Thorne takes out a piece of paper and writes a name down on it. He then slides the paper over to the other two. Frankie snorts out a laugh at it.

Frankie: Come on, Thorne, guns? Really? No way, my guys have gone up against her enough to know that there ain't anyway you're going to take her down with guns. She moves like a demon, I tell ya.

Thorne: Then I suppose you have a better choice?

Frankie: You know I do.

This time, Frankie writes down a name on the paper, passing it over to the others to see.

Frankie: With someone like this, poison is the way to go.

Thorne: Maybe, but only if you can get close enough to her to use it. Now then, Emilia? Your go.

Giving them both a careful glance, Emilia quickly writes down her selection and slides the paper back to them.

Emilia: I believe the direct approach will be the successful one.

Upon seeing the name, Thorne lets out a hearty laugh.

Thorne: Sure, if you can find her! I don't know anyone with those kinds of contacts.

Emilia: You obviously don't know me very well, Rupert.

Thorne: Alright, alright, it's settled then.

He gives them each a careful look, while an amused grin curls along his face.

Thorne: You have one week to contact your selections and make the hire. Then... we let the games begin.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter #15 Preview: Rose Wilson's alter ego, Ravager, has made herself a target by three most powerful crime families in Silverstone, and now she has three of the world's deadliest assassins on her trail! But who are these assassins, and will they be able to take down their target? Find out next time, as the first of these hired killers makes his move!

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#2  Edited By rav4

friendly bump

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#3  Edited By batkevin74

@Ravager4 said:

Thorne: I thought you hated that boy.

Emilia: Don't get me wrong, Jonathan is a real screw up, but he's still family.

Best bit! :) Now who will come gunning for The Ravager? My guess is Deadshot, Merlyn and Lady Vic....dear old dad is a longshot due to the lack of a big cash prize. What would be clever if the bad guys hired good guys to get Rose who don't know her and think she's She-Deathstroke and things get awkward for everyone

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#4  Edited By rav4

@batkevin74: well I can tell you that at least one of your guesses is correct

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#5  Edited By batkevin74

@Ravager4: Hmmmmmm cool, so Gorilla Grodd AWESOME! :P Looking forward to it. On a side note can you swing a discerning eye (and possible comment) over my Iron Age Ghost Rider

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#6  Edited By rav4

@batkevin74: I shall give it a look. Just hope it's not required to know much about Ghost Rider for the story, since my knowledge on that character is extremely limited (and amounts to just 'he's some skeleton on fire with demon powers'. Or something).