Unbeknownst to Vulture the men he had mistaken for Deadshot’s guards were actually dressed in the attire of GCPD Swat officers, though that was a deception as their real allegiance was to the League of Assassins. These men had been hired to keep the real police as far from Lawton as possible, but for what nefarious purpose we are yet to find out. While Vulture was right to think they were ‘evil’ men the rest of the world had just witnessed him throw an innocent Gotham Cop out of a high rise window. What that damning image would come to mean for the young vigilante, well only time will tell, but it would be certain to have grave implications further down the line.

Deadshot barely even moved when Vulture kicked the door open, the only concession he made to the bird-themed vigilante’s entrance was a narrowing of the red aiming reticule he wore over his right eye. The hostages Deadshot had his two wrist guns aimed at certainly looked pleased to see a rescuer, even one as forbidding looking as Vulture, but they would not move in fear that the captor open fire upon them, and you didn’t have to be the worlds greatest marksman to hit someone from that distance.

“Like puppets on a string.” Sighed Deadshot, while languorously raising his right, wrist-gun wielding arm towards Vulture. It was for show of course, as the young fool was striding straight towards an explosive trap that Lawton had set earlier, and there would he no need for a bullet at all after that. Batman would never have fallen for it, he thought to himself. It was at that moment the world exploded. 

Vulture tripped the explosive, getting hurled across the room and severely injured for his troubles, but at that same moment Paladin crashed into the room from behind. His targeting system had been spot on, and his forward momentum carried him straight towards Deadshot like a ball shot from a cannon. Lawton was surprised to say the least, but he was a professional through and through, trying to spin out of the way out of reach. As it was he managed to miss the brunt of Paladin’s attack, instead only being spun of his feet as the armoured heroes shoulder brushed against his side. The force behind it was still impressive though, Deadshot gaining a broken ribs in the contact. 

Paladin hit the ground hard, having little room to manoeuvre in these tight confines. He glanced at the fallen Vulture, summarising that he must be one of the other vigilantes that Aaron had spoke of. Amateur. As he turned back to face Deadshot he caught the fleeting form of Blink just as she teleported the hostages out. He applauded her mentally, but was cut short as a crack of gunfire announced that Lawton was back in the fight. Paladin dived towards cover, grunting as he took a shot to the chest piece. A quick check revealed that Aaron’s armour had held, but just barely. Obviously the assassin was using armour piercing rounds, which would make things more difficult. 

Galahad popped his head up from the cubicle he was hiding behind for a quick survey of the area, blanching as he realised Lawton was doing the same thing. The two traded gunfire, bullets screaming across the room for what seemed like an eternity. Paladin ducked first, after being hit twice, one bullet bouncing from his helm, another screeching across his bicep. The second shot had sundered his armour, and blood was weeping from a shallow wound. The vigilante was forced to admit that even injured Deadshot had him beat when it came to gunplay. He had to figure out away to get close to the marksman and end this the old fashioned way. It was then that Lawton called out. 

“You new guys ain’t all that clever huh?” He sounded cocky, which Paladin didn’t like one bit. If Deadshot had some sorta ace in the hole then it could mean curtains for him. 

“Says the guy who got involved with Harley Quinn. How is clown face by the way Floyd?” Maybe poking the bear wasn’t his best idea, but it’s all he had for now. Too Lawton’s credit he just laughed.

“You’re funny. I’m gonna miss you.” Paladin thought it might be more bluster until he popped his head up again to see that Deadshot was standing clear up, with what looked to be a detonator in his left hand. With his right the marksman pointed towards the ceiling. Galahad look up slowly, knowing what he was gonna see but praying not to see it. His prayers went unanswered though, as sure enough there was another set of explosives. 

“Buh-bye.” Sang Deadshot, then he pressed the trigger. Paladin threw his arms over his head and crouched into a ball. The force of the explosion blew him straight through the floor, and the one underneath that, finally crashing to a stop upon the same floor Blink had teleported the hostages too. The armour had miraculously held again, but it had been a close run thing and he felt like he had been fed through a giant meat grinder. Aaron was screaming down the comm-link for a status report, but Galahad was willing to keep him waiting for now. He rolled to his back, groaning at all the little twinges that fired down his spine, knowing that those couldn’t be good. Through the dust and the haze he could just make out Blink, safe from the debris under her table. 

“Hey, soldier. Get up, fight ain’t over yet.” he croaked, knowing he was speaking to himself as much as he was speaking to Jenna. 

Two floors up Deadshot strolled casually over to the prone Vulture. The loss of the hostages was no big thing, this had never been about them. No, this had been about making noise and attracting attention, and he had sure done that. Now the only thing left to do was to tie up loose ends, and there was only one way he knew how to do that.

“G’night birdy.” he said as he aimed point blank at Vulture’s face.