stark_international | [Snart & Murdock] If you ask me to change

Entry tags:

universe: cold justice

[Snart & Murdock] If you ask me to change

"I'm a wanted man,
I got blood on my hands,
Do you understand?
I'm a wanted man"

Characters: Leonard Snart & Matt Murdock

Murdock would've heard that the criminal escaped the hospital before he could be relocated to his prison cell. No one was harmed in his escape. He'd also hear that the evidence, his Cold Gun, also went missing that same night. Again, no one was hurt. After that, Murdock wouldn't hear a peep about Cold or his weapon in his streets for months.

Until a gathering of criminals--low-life murderers and thugs--working for the Kingpin were spotted causing a raucous in an unusually bad part of town. Telltale signs of Snart's Cold Gun were reported. Several criminals were found and apprehended after being locked in an iced-over dumpster with a note attached: Cold, hard killers inside. You're welcome. No fatalities were reported.

Unfortunately for Leonard, his next scuffle didn't go so well. Kingpin was expecting his attack this time, and it ended with Snart pinned down in a warehouse that was up in flames. He hated the heat. He was on a mission. Kingpin was working with Vandal Savage, and Savage was intent on causing an uprising in this city to get the Legends killed. They had that idiot Palmer and as much as he hated to admit it, he needed to rescue the shrinking nerd. But when these guys started using Palmer's tech against him, he lost his advantage.

A gash along his cheekbone wept blood down his cheek and a cut on his temple added to the display. These guys had already killed two cops that came to investigate the scene. Snart defended a third and got him out of the building, but in doing so, lost his only chance to escape and gave away his position.

What he wouldn't give for Flash to show up right about now.

"Oh, come on!" Snart yelled in exasperation at the thugs firing relentlessly at him as he hunkered down for cover.

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They couldn't be making more noise if they tried. In Hell's Kitchen, it was like shooting up a signal flare. The sound of gunfire, the roar of the flames, the sirens, the shouting...

A dark figure ran lightly across the rooftop, smoke and heat escaping out the side windows of the warehouse. Whoever was pinned down in there, those thugs weren't going to let them out alive. They didn't even seem to care the place was on fire. Likely the Kingpin had told them not to come back if they didn't complete their assignment. Only one side of the building was covered by the arriving cops, the other side was left unguarded. He leaped down to a crane wire and swung in through a broken window. Landing and sliding in on a wooden board left propped up against a box.

Daredevil vaulted into a somersault over the mountain of cargo to where their quarry was hiding and dropped in next to him. His batons crossed on the gun to prevent accidental shooting at him. That's a familiar heartbeat. "You sure know how to make friends in this town."

It was fortunate the man caught Snart's gun, because the startling appearance made Cold jerk to the side. He'd been ready to defend himself, and he didn't hesitate when lives were on the line. The familiar visage settled Snart's tension a fraction. It was likely, Daredevil would notice the stutter in his pulse before it evened out. He was actually relieved to see the local vigilante.

"Yeah, I have that effect on people. Their boss has a member of my team captive. He can't handle himself against big fish like this." Was that concern etched into his tone? Yes, yes it was. Snart had changed considerably since they last met. "Sorry to say, you should've sat this one out. I'm not entirely sure we'll be making it out of this one. I volunteered to be the distraction while the rest of the team gets the nerd out safely." Regret. Not for his actions, but that Matt was now caught up in his suicidal plan.

"If we're gonna die together, I might as well know what to call you. I doubt The Cowl is your official hero name." He smirked lightly.

Team? Well, well, well. That was interesting.

He smirked, bullets pinging off the wall behind them, just missing by a fraction. "I wouldn't think you one to give up that easily." Five hostiles, he could hear them moving around, getting ready to rush them.

"Once they stop shooting, go right and see if you can make it slippery for them." Time for him to play distraction.

The heat was stifling and closing in around them. Matt ran left, backflipping behind some shelves. Too many to take head on alone. But that's never stopped Daredevil before.

Running, batons in hand, he jumped over another set of boxes, taking out the supports holding them as he did. There were yells of "Hey what's that??!" and shots starting to fire in his direction as he ran around the group, knocking over specific boxes and support structures.

Suddenly it started caving in around the gunmen, like an avalanche of burning boxes on top of them. They yelled and tried to run from it but it was too late.

Snart smirked. "I won't give up until I'm dead. It just happens that I'm trapped in a burning building and I'm not a fan of heat." He shrugged easily as he spoke. But when the man began offering a plan of sorts, Snart was a bit surprised.

"I can do that. Easy." Cold darted as soon as the gun fire was averted, following the vigilante's path as best he could with his eyes as he went right. He didn't want to accidentally catch the man in the ice as well. The moment he had his opening, he took it, freezing the ground around the thugs, predicting Daredevil's path and keeping it clear.

Unfortunately, the damage to the warehouse was severe and the structural integrity was compromised. A large beam fell free of the rafters, raining flaming debris down on their heads. Cold had to stop in his run for the exit to get eyes on the other man. He cursed, turned, and fired the Cold Gun at the burning chunk of wood, knocking it off its course to flatten Matt so that instead, it crashed to the ground behind the hero.

"This place is gonna come down in our heads. We need to go. Now." Leonard called over the roar of the flames.

The flames closing in were making it interesting for his super senses. Cold was right, they needed to get out of here. If his memory was correct, the back of the warehouse faced the bay. That's why the police weren't there.

"Window!" he called out, running towards the nearest one behind Smart and flinging his baton at it. The glass shattered as Daredevil came, not slowing down and preparing to jump through. Parts of his costume were already on fire. He would just have to hope it wasn't too long of a drop.

At least someone knew where they were. It was quite the leap of faith him. Snart trusted the man knew what he was doing, so he ran, sprang off some crates, and covered his head with his arms as he jumped through the shattered glass. It snagged his coat here and there, but otherwise he was fine. However, the momentum he'd put into the leap was a little much. He overshot the ground and was headed straight for the bay. He'd lead with his shoulder to tuck and roll when he hit the ground, turning into an awkwardly sprawling dive when he hit the water, flailing.

Cold broke the surface with a few muttered profanities and pulled himself out of the water. "Window, water, would've been a more apt warning."

He holstered the Cold Gun and prodded tentatively at the gash on his face. "Thank you." He hated owing people. "You wanna help me get my friend's tech back, or were you just passing through?"

The little fires all fizzled out once he hit the water. Matt spluttered up to the surface, trying not to think how dirty the water probably was out here and just glad to be alive.

...and no mask. Where was it?? It must have come off when he made the jump into the water. Matt searched in vain with his hands, unable to sense through water. It was likely at the bottom of the bay now. Chagrined, he crawled towards the shore, keeping his head slightly turned away but he knew it wasn't going to do much about keeping his identity a secret. "Next time, I'll be more specific."

That... that caught Snart's attention. The very second he realised the man resurfaced without a mask, he stared hard. He slowly stalked around the other man to get a better look, eyes narrowed. He wasn't a fan of secrets, but he was also good at keeping them. Even as a villain, he kept Barry's from his very own sister. It was just that curiosity tended to get the better of him in this moment. The man replied to him and Snart pinpointed the man's identity almost immediately after that.

"Son of a bitch..." He muttered icily. "You're the lawyer." He hissed and shook his head. "That's why you interrogated me the way you did. That is just..." He laughed, a little upset with himself for not realising it later.

After another moment, he sighed and looked away. "You're blind. Back at the bank, you fought me with deadly precision. How? You're a Meta, but what's your power?"

There was no hiding his face now. He had figured on some kind of reaction and so far it didn't sound good. He quietly checked his batons, putting them into his boot holders.

However, he couldn't help a small bit of satisfaction at the question. "My other senses make up for the eyes. I've learned to use them better than I ever thought possible." More sirens around the front of the building.

Matt didn't want to get caught out in the open like this. "Com'n, we should get as far away from here as possible." He knew a few shortcuts that would take them back to the rooftops of New York in very little time. And with nobody seeing them.

Beyond his initial shock, Leonard didn't seem to show any further contempt. He listened to the answers and decided it would be best to keep all that in mind. That didn't mean his brain didn't start reeling for ways to counter those advantages reflexively.

"Sounds good. I don't get along well with the Law, as you know." Even if he did save a cop's life tonight. "And we need to keep you hidden. Lead the way, Lawyer Man." Oh, he remembered your name, Matt, but that didn't mean he'd use it. Especially while you're mostly dressed up as someone else.

He never did give his name when he asked before.

"Daredevil," he says with a smirk. Hey, blame it on the newspapers, he didn't pick it. But it seemed to fit with how he always went headfirst into danger.

He led the way to an alley and climbed up the fire escape. Two more roof tops and he was letting them into his apartment window. The place was dark but that didn't bother Matt. "How badly are you injured?" he asks. He could smell the blood, as well as the smoke from the fire. His own costume was singed in places but he was fairly certain he didn't get burned himself.

"Daredevil. Not bad. Catchier than Captain Cold. Named by the local hero's nerd buddy." He wouldn't admit that he didn't mind that the name stuck.

Len followed, giving the place a look around in the dark when they made it inside. It wasn't the first nor would it be the last time he sneaked into a building, but it struck him as odd that he found himself here with the lawyer. "You don't strike me as the type to break into someone else's apartment, so I'm gonna hazard a guess and say this is yours. You do realise the last time we met, we tried to maim eachother, right? It doesn't strike you as a bad idea to bring me here?" Except, he really didn't have the desire to hurt the man. He just didn't understand how people could put any kind of trust in him. The Flash was notorious for it, but he chalked it up to the kid being new-ish.

"I'll live. Some cuts, bullet grazes. Nothing serious. Possibly a few fractures. They didn't take kindly to me calling them brainless apes. It elicited the desired effect, though." Draw the majority of the 'guards' away from where Palmer was being held so the team could get inside safely.

"I realize that, however I know when you're telling the truth." Can't lie to his ears. Snart was pretty brave taking on all those goons by himself for one of New York's Finest. "Someone who would stand up for their friends is someone who can be trusted."

He dug in a closet and came up with a first aid kit. Flicking on the lights as an afterthought. It was a regular sort of apartment, except for the lack of pictures on the walls that people usually have. All except one black and white photo of a boxer.

"Might be something in here that'll help with those cuts," he says, opening up the box and running his fingers over the braille dots on each package. Finding some gauze and antiseptic ointment.

With that, Leonard was quiet. He mulled over those words, bothered by the fact that they didn't actually bother him. "That's a neat trick." Was the reply he finally settled on, lacking all of his usual bluster. Someone who could see through lies, yet couldn't actually see? That was handy. It also made a liar like Cold a bit uncomfortable.

Snart took to keeping a wary eye on the man while he sifted through the box. He stopped in front of the lone picture and arched an eyebrow.

"Who's the boxer?" He asked, wandering back over to the lawyer when he located the gauze and ointment. He placed a hand under Daredevil's, lightly touching with his fingertips so the man knew he could take the supplies. "I don't like owing people."

It makes his other job a nightmare. Knowing the person on the witness stand was lying but only able to do so much to draw it out as a lie.

The question wasn't a new one but it did make him pause. "That's my father....good middleweight." He sounded proud of him, though it was obvious the picture had been taken awhile ago.

He dropped the supplies into his hand. "Then don't owe me, I'm sure someone who knows how to break into a bank could find me another first aid kit."

Snart smirked, the tension easing out of his posture slightly. "I think I can manage that." He settled the supplies and began cleaning his wounds in the reflection of the window.

"Son of a boxer, huh? Impressive. Explains that a lot." Memories of that first punch Matt landed at the bank were still vivid.

He hissed as he worked on the deeper gash, but finished up quickly. "Did you train with him?"

While Snart is busy fixing his wounds, Matt comes back with a new costume and mask. The other one is a total loss. It paid to be prepared, he had a closet with a few extras in it.

"Not exactly," he says. "I was only 8 when he died." Matt sighs, regret tinging his words. "The wrong kind of people got a hold of my father. When he tried to fight back, do the right thing, they killed him for it."

For someone who didn't do emotions, he sure was feeling those nagging things like empathy coupled with that strange sensation of feeling like he might have just dredged up the wrong topic. This was why he didn't like people getting all weepy at him. This was why he refused to get all weepy.

"That's rough." He replied almost awkwardly. He couldn't say he knew what it felt like--he killed his own father, after all. But the man deserved it. "Mine was the wrong kind of people." He admitted, but shifted off that subject rather quickly. He didn't regret what he did to Lewis. He'd do it again. He was almost surprised he didn't do it sooner, but then, the man had never actually aimed to kill his sister before.

Leonard noticed the change of costumes and inclined his head slightly. "I take it you didn't need any first aid?"

Matt wasn't one to go all weepy anyway. He was more of the getting justice instead type. "It's the way of Hell's Kitchen. You either roll over and give up...or you try harder to survive."

He nods, knowing people couldn't pick their own fathers. His wasn't much after he rolled over and gave up for organized crime. But he'd gotten a second chance. And organized crime paid him back by killing him.

"Some bumps and bruises but nothing I'm aware of." If there's something glaringly obvious, Snart would be a pal and tell him, right? Like missing an arm or something?

"There was a time when I might've enjoyed this town for that very reason. Except, I was never one for competition." In other words, yeah, he wouldn't have liked the Kingpin in any point of time in his life.

"I've spent my life learning the ins and outs of Central City's police force. To the second, I can tell you when the cops will show once the alarm is tripped. I can tell you the quickest way to get in and out of any bank, museum--I can tell you that I'm so good that I don't have to kill to complete a heist and not get caught. All of that is because of my father. He was a terrible thief. He was an excellent murderer, though." No, he was not proud of his father for that. It was why he preferred to do the job without killing. He didn't need to.

He gave the lawyer a once-over. The outfit was too dark to see blood easily, but he was fairly certain Matt would have noticed if he'd been bleeding badly. While Snart may not be forthcoming with admitting he wasn't a terrible person, he wouldn't let the man bleed out.

"There's a new guy in town you should know about. His name's Vandal Savage. He's in real tight with the Kingpin right now. Heard anything about him?"

Matt listens, understanding where Snart comes from. Not all criminals were bad guys. Some were just born into it. However, things did seem to be turning around for the former Captain of Cold.

"There were rumors on the street that someone new had shown up but nobody would say who." None of the usual rats he shook down would tell. They were too scared to.

"And he has one of your friends?"

Just so long as Matt didn't try telling Snart he wasn't just some tawdry crook, he might continue to show the lawyer this better side of his.

Snart nodded and it only occurred to him after he did, that Matt couldn't see it. The man had obvious tells that he was blind, but he was also far too preceptive for a blind man, making it easy for the crook to forget. "Right. He's not from around here--" And if that wasn't the understatement of the last four thousand years, he didn't know what was. "but he's got beef with us. He ended up here to use the Kingpin's connections. I'm sure Savage brought something really nice to the table for him to get an in. Problem is, the guy can't be killed. Also a problem: we've put him in a position to strike back. He knows we're here. He stirred up the--" Timeline? Yeah, best keep that one to himself lest he hear another of Rip's lectures. "--network to lure us here. Caught my friend in a trap."

"Along with saving Ray, we're gonna get this guy out of your city. I don't like asking for help, but I could use the backup."

His mouth set in a line, Matt pulled his hooded mask back over his face and eyes.

"You say that's true, but that's a hard fact to swallow. A man that can't be killed?" How were they supposed to fight him? Not that Matt wasn't in, oh no he wasn't letting anyone take over this city just like that.

"Sounds like you're going to need it." He checked the batons in his boot holders. They would need to strike tonight and not let this go any farther than it already had. "The Kingpin's building isn't easy to get into." Unless his friend was being held elsewhere that Snart knew about.

Cold sighed. "We're used to it." That in and of itself was actually as much of a surprise as the fact that Matt didn't call him crazy. Then again, the man did say he knew when Snart was telling the truth. "Let's just say, if he looks like he's down for the count, don't wait around to make sure. I promise you, he'll get back up, and he usually makes you regret it." There was a bitter edge to his voice. Carter hadn't been his friend, not by a long shot, but he was one of them.

"With any luck, you and I won't actually have to face Savage. Our fearless leader and the rest of the Scooby gang are looking for him too." But, that didn't mean the team with the advantage of numbers and a demigoddess would find him first. "Breaking into buildings is my thing." He grinned at that, taking it more as a challenge than a warning. Unfortunately, Snart didn't have the advantage of casing it weeks in advanced like he usually would. But he did get the team into the Pentagon with little notice.

Edited 2017-01-17 04:36 (UTC)

But he did have the advantage of a super human radar coming with him.

"Must be some team," he says, knowing how Snart was when they first encountered each other. Matt was up for a rescue type mission, just point him in the right direction.

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Phone-tagging is hard. Lol.

It is, esp html stuff

Yes. @-@ And apologies for the delay. I'm at work.

Me too! Lunch break~

Have a good lunch!

and back home hooray

Hooray! owo But unfortunately, I have to go to bed.

bed schmed :p sleep well

Sleep is for the weak and the winter will take me! XD Thank you. :D

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