Stealth and Deception #5, Wednesday Morning,

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

After getting another handwaved e-mail to come to the Danger Shop, the students would have found if littered with doors. Lots and lots and lots of doors.

"Good morning class," Alfred said as they entered. "Breakfast and caffeine are over there. Get some, sit down, and we'll talk about infiltration. Now there are many types of alarms and many ways of keeping a person out of a door. But we who are exceptionally sneaky do not worry about such things as locks or alarms, do we?

"As I said before, the types of locks and alarms are limitless. And some of them require some very specialized knowledge and tools to break. Therefore, today we are only going to talk about one, the one with the most useful applications."

Alfred held up a rolled up black cloth and let it unroll, revealing a line of well kept tools.

"Today, class, we're going to talk about lockpicking."

So saying, he went into his lecture

After finishing, he took a sip of tea from a nearby cup and pointed to a table. "On that table are lockpicking sets. These aren't holographs, they're real lockpicking sets I obtained for you, and they are yours to keep.

He gestured to the doors behind him. "Have fun, class. I'll be here if you need any hands on assistance. And don't be afraid to ask."

He glanced down at his notes. "Oh, and will Miss Santos see me after class?"

_{[[The OCD, she is up, so have fun! I'll be absent for a good part of the day, so forgive me if I don't respond for a while.]]}

Comments

Talk to Alfred

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

If you're Nadia, be afraid, be very afrad.

If you're anyone else, be happy!

Re: Talk to Alfred

[nadiathesaint]

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

Re: Talk to Alfred

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

Alfred sipped at his tea. "Yes, Nadia, I did." He turned and placed the cup on the table. "Now, James told me everything that happened last week. I also reviewed the footage of the class. If you would like, now is your chance to try and explain your side of the story before I start spouting fire and brimstone at you."

Re: Talk to Alfred

[nadiathesaint]

"There's not that much to tell, sir. I was already familiar with the topic for last week's class, and had just learned that a friend of mine had been turned into a mermaid. I thought my time could be better spent with her, rather than in a review class."

Re: Talk to Alfred

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

"And you decided the best way to achieve this was to attempt to sneak out, be extremely rude to my friend, insult his intelligence, and then sneak out again?"

Re: Talk to Alfred

[nadiathesaint]

"I didn't want to interrupt the class, and when I was caught by your friend, I felt the need to explain myself and my situation. It's not my fault that he didn't believe that Argentina would be interested in someone as 'young' as I am being an agent. It wasn't my intention to insult him. As for sneaking out again, I didn't feel I had the time to spend trying to prove myself to him. I wanted to make sure Phoebe was alright."

Re: Talk to Alfred

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

"I fail to see why, if you were so worried, you had to come to class at all. Or why you didn't just explain that it was a family emergency. Saying that you already 'knew the subject' sounds like you don't believe there's anything he can teach you."

Re: Talk to Alfred

[nadiathesaint]

"I didn't learn of what had happened to Phoebe until I was already in the class. And I did explain that I had other business that needed to be taken care of, sir. I apologize if it seemed as though I was disrespecting your friend as that wasn't my intention, but I am already very familiar with camouflage. As I am with lockpicking, actually. Nothing in his lecture was anything I hadn't yet learned from my instructor in Buenos Aires."

Digging herself deeper with that crack about lockpicks? Surely you jest! Well, she is only seventeen, and quite full of herself at times.

And has never been hit with that ruler.

Re: Talk to Alfred

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

Alfred's eyebrow quirked slightly. "I find myself still inclined to punish you for your rather unaccpetable behavior, Miss Santos. Despite any training you may have had, you are not special enough to sidle out of class any time you feel like it."

Re: Talk to Alfred

[nadiathesaint]

"Sir, what happened last week is the exception, not the rule. And you should be aware that there is possibly some sort of gremlin-like creature living in this shop. Last weekend in detention it took a large chunk out of Walter's shirt." Well, her shirt that Walter was wearing. "But if you feel the need to punish me for wishing to ensure the safety of one of my fellow students, I can't stop you."

Re: Talk to Alfred

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

Alfred's eyes narrowed. "Please don't take that tact with me, Miss Santos. I have had enough people in my life try to get out of punishment by trying to sound like the victim. But if detention truely scares you that much, I believe another punishment can be found for you.'

Re: Talk to Alfred

[nadiathesaint]

Nadia didn't cross her arms or narrow her eyes or put her hands on her hips or do anything else that might indicate she was frustrated and annoyed right now.

"Fine. Whatever you think is best, sir."

It couldn't be that hard to clean up Cafe Fina with a toothbrush, could it?

Re: Talk to Alfred

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

Alfred crossed his arms. "Have you ever worked as a waitress, Miss Santos?"

Re: Talk to Alfred

[union-jane.livejournal.com]

After working with the locks, Seras came up to Alfred.

"I just wanted to thank you for that guest lecturer, Sir," she said, "It was really brilliant to be able to talk with a real police officer. And such an experienced one at that, Sir."

Re: Talk to Alfred

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

Alfred smiled. "I'm glad you enjoyed him. James did mention he took a particular shining to you. I'm afraid not all of your classmates found him as interesting."

Re: Talk to Alfred

[union-jane.livejournal.com]

"He did?"

Seras stood up a bit straighter and tried to look like someone the Commissioner of a large urban police force would take a shining to.

"He was very kind to me, Mr. Pennyworth. He gave me his addresses and said I could write him if I liked."

Re: Talk to Alfred

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

Alfred nodded. "You would do well to take advantage of that offer. James has done some amazing things in his time as Commissioner of Gotham. He cleaned the city up."

[union-jane.livejournal.com]

"He did?"

Seras bit her lip.

"That makes sense, actually. I asked him what the most important thing he learned was. And, he told me that while in order to be an effective cop, you've got to bend the rules, it's also important to draw a line for yourself. And not cross it."

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

Alfred nodded. "I'd believe it. The town was so incredibly bad when he transferred in from Chicago that I doubt he had much of a choice. If he had tried to fight completely fair, the mob bosses would have eaten him alive."

[union-jane.livejournal.com]

"It sounds...not entirely unlike London, Sir."

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

Alfred nodded. "Probably even worse. There was a time when Gotham was the most corrupt city in the Western Hemisphere. The government was actually starting plans in case the city ever actually imploded in on itself."

[union-jane.livejournal.com]

"And, Commissioner Gordon...He fixed it? Or at least made it better?"

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

Alfred nodded. "He didn't do it alone, though. District Attorney Harvey Dent was the only attorney to ever actually have the courage to prosecute the mob bosses. And then there was the Batman. But yes. He was a new transfer detective from Chicago and he actually took a stand against the rotten elements in the police force."

[union-jane.livejournal.com]

"He's very brave, then. They all are. That isn't...that isn't always a safe thing to do."

Seras' gaze was fixed on a point somewhere just over Mr. Pennyworth's shoulder. Though, she wasn't looking at anything, really.

[badassbutler.livejournal.com]

Alfred nodded. "It isn't. The nail that stands up the highest is the one that is hammered down. I suppose in the end one has to make a choice whether the possible safety is worth not saying anything."