It was three months after the Reach left earth. Richard was traveling and felt so lost. He went to a small town, where lots of strange things had been happening. That night he started to look around.
"There are signs of a dimensional anomaly." Nightwing
The next morning he started investigating. He found that all the events were centered around a specific company. He decided to go investigate that night. He had just gotten in the facility, when he accidentally made a noise.
"Who's there?" The guard
He ducked around the corner.
"I can't believe I did that." Nightwing
Minutes later an alarm blared.
"There is an intruder on the north side." A voice sounded over the intercom
Nightwing began looking from lab to lab, but he didn't find anything. Until he reached lab #5. He went into the lab. He saw someone trying to steel something.
"Stop. Put you hands up." Nightwing
"Just try and make me." The thief
"We can do it that way too." Nightwing
Nightwing pulled out what looked like two black sticks. Then he got into a fighting stance. The thief followed suit and took his own fighting stance. Nightwing launched at him. The Thief whipped out a quarter staff and blocked.
"Your going to pay a visit to the sheriff." Nightwing
"Sorry I don't feel like it." The thief said a with smug look on his face.
He clearly had no idea who he was dealing with. Nightwing hit him in the stomach. Then, in what looked like the same motion, knocked his feet out from under him. The thief had a shocked look on his face.
"Who are you?" The thief said while sitting stunned on the floor.
"Nightwing" Nightwing said, standing looking very imposing.
"I'm getting out of here." The thief
Then he threw a throwing knife at Nightwing as he ran out. Nightwing dodged, the knife hit a control panel. Red lights began to flash and an alarm sounded.
"Containment breach eminent evacuate immediately." A computerized voice was heard throughout the facility.
"It looks like they were experimenting with transdimensional travel." Nightwing
Sparks flew from the panel one of them almost burning his hand.
"Evacuation 80% complete. All personnel evacuate." The computerized voice
"I just have to keep this from going critical till the evacuation is finished." Nightwing
He frantically tries to keep the containment system from breaching. Nothing he did seem to help so he got frustrated and hit it. The read out showed the containment level rise.
"I can't believe that actually worked" Nightwing
"Evacuation complete. Locking down facility." The computerized voice
A thick metal door closes, trapping him in the lab. The read out stated showing the containment level dropping. When it read 10%, a count down appeared in it's place.
"Breach in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1." The computerized voice
Nightwing backed away from the unit just before it burst into flames. Then there was a flash of light. Nightwing woke up in an ally, in a big city, at what looked like a few hours till sunrise.
"I've got to get into civilian clothes, and figure out where I am, but first I'll get some sleep." Nightwing
He went and found a place to sleep.
The next morning he resumed his search for clothes.
He was hiding in the shadows of the alley, when he saw a suit displayed in a store window.
A kid came to the opening of the alley.
"Hey, kid, come here." Nightwing
"You mean me." The kid
"Yeah" Nightwing
The kid walks into the alley and up to Nightwing.
"That looks cool, but why are you dressed like a superhero?" The kid
"I was getting my costume ready for a party I'm going to, and my friends thought it would be hilarious to take my clothes, making me walk home like this." Nightwing
"That wasn't very nice." The kid
"No it wasn't. Will you help me?" Nightwing
"Sure let me guess; you want me to get you some cloths to change into. I'd be happy to." The kid said a with smile on his face.
"Thanks. Here is the money. Could you get me that suit in the store window over there. The black one with the blue dress shirt." Nightwing
"You got it." The kid
The kid crossed the street and walked into the store. Moments later he stepped out of the store with a bag in his hand. He crossed the street and walked into the ally and up to Nightwing. Then he handed the bags to Nightwing.
"Here's you change." The kid hands him a ten dollar bill.
"You keep it. Thanks kid." Nightwing
Nightwing walks into the shadows and disappears. The kid puts the bill in his pocket and walks back out onto the street feeling really happy.
"I got to help someone. This is a good day." The kid
Nightwing finds a public restroom in a park just a block away and changes his clothes. Then puts his uniform in the bag and walks out. Next finds a descent hotel and checks in. He goes to his room, and puts the "Do not disturb" sign on the door handle, and locks it. Then he starts going over the data gathered by his suit.
{Just as I thought, I was thrown into another dimension. It looks like the rift will reopen in a month, and then close for ever.} Nightwing thought with a pensive look on his face.
That night he decided to go on patrol. A few hours into patrol he had only caught a few pick pockets. He was about to head back to the hotel when he hears a store alarm, and rushes over to try to help. The perpetrator ducked into a nearby alley to dodge the cops who were already arriving at the store.
"You should go turn you self in now." Nightwing
"Make me, you costumed freak." The thug said with a smile on his face
"You seem quite traught. I'll have to do something about that." Nightwing
"Just try it." The thug
Then he pulls a knife and launches at Nightwing, trying to stab him. Nightwing dodges and punches him in the stomach just hard enough to send him back wards. Not hard enough to do any real damage. Nightwing picks up some rope and ties the thug up and puts the bag of stolen goods on his lap. Just as he is walking away the store owner comes into the alley and sees him.
"Thank You, who ever you are." The store keeper
"My pleasure." Nightwing turns and says, as he goes back one step, and vanishes into the night.
Right then the cops come into the alley, and untie the ropes, exchanging them with handcuffs.
"Is this the man who robed you?" One of the cops.
"Yes it is." The shop keeper
"That guy will pay for this," the thug said under his breath so quietly the cops couldn't hear.
The cops put him in the back of a car and drive off. Nightwing went back to his hotel room and went to bed. The next morning he turns on the news to see if there is anything about him. Fortunately there wasn't, but he was floored to find out the guy he caught was already out on bale.
After three more days of only minimal sightings one man gets a good look at him. He decides not to go on patrol again. He can't risk being seen again. Then he hears a knock on the door.
"House keeping." The maid
"Come in" Richard
She walks into the bathroom to change the towels, then walks into the bedroom and makes the bed, then leaves. After she leaves he tries to find a place to hide his uniform. That night someone wearing an outfit that looks exactly like Nightwing's brakes into an museum and steels several paintings, making no effort to avoid being seen by the cameras. The next morning Dick turns on the TV and turns to a channel showing the news. He falls off his chair when he sees a clip showing what looks like him robbing a museum. Later he goes to the museum, but he can't get close enough to find any clues. The cops have the place completely sealed off.
"What do we have on this guy?" Detective John Davis
"Nothing, no physical evidence whatsoever." A crime scene tech
"What about witnesses?" Detective John Davis
"We have canvased three blocks in every direction. No one saw anything." A uniformed Officer
Meanwhile outside Richard leaves before anyone notices him. He spends the rest of the day trying to find clues on the net, with no luck.
That night a private gallery was hit in the same way. This time something was left behind. The next morning, when Richard turned on the news, it wasn't any better.
"Is there anything new?" Detective John Davis
"We found this typewritten note ware one of the stolen statues was," a female uniform says, as she hands it to him.
"Lets see what we have here? 'You will never catch me. You are not smart enough.' This guy has a lot of nerve taunting us like that." Detective John Davis
Richard walks up to the gallery to see if he can over hear something useful. The cops aren't saying anything that could lead him to the thief. So he walks away but not before a uniform sees him. When he gets back to his hotel room, he hacks the police system to get a list of the items stolen. Then he checks to see if any of the owners have anything in common, only to find out that all the art is owned by the same people. He starts looking into the family that owns the stolen pieces.
Meanwhile at the precinct.
"The thief is the probably connected to the Simon family." Detective John Davis
"It could be someone with a grudge against the family." Detective Arnold Miller
Then a uniform walks up to them.
"I saw the same guy at both of the crime scenes." The Uniform
"We should bring him in for a chat." Detective John Davis
"Bring him in, if you see him again." Detective Arnold Miller
Back at Richard's hotel room, he is trying to find a connection between the crimes and a person connected to the family. This gives him lots of suspects. One thing is still bothering him. Why did the thief dress just like Nightwing. With that thought he went to bed. That night the thief struck, again this time at a Jewelry store.
"What was stolen?" Detective John Davis
"Some jewelry that was being repaired." Detective Arnold Miller
Richard scans the crowd to see if any of his suspect are there. He is so focused on what he is doing he doesn't see the uniformed officer looking straight at him. When the officer starts walking towards him, he does not move from that spot. The last thing he wants is draw the attention of the crowd by running.
"Will you, please, come with me, sir?" The Officer
"Certainly." Richard walks toward the police car followed closely by the officer.
Richard sits in an interrogation room for a few minuets. Two men walk in, one sits down, the other stays standing
"My name is Detective John Davis." The one sitting down says.
"And I'm Detective Arnold Miller but you knew that all ready." The man still standing
"How would I know that?" Richard
"You've been at all three crime scenes." Detective John Davis
"The way we figure it is that you pull off these heists, then go back to see if you left anything behind." Detective Arnold Miller
"After all, the criminal always returns to the scene of the crime." Detective John Davis
"That is just a myth." Richard
"I didn't know it was just a myth did, you?" Detective John Davis
"Me neither. If your not the thief then why were you there." Detective Arnold Miller
"I was just in the neighborhood." Richard
"You just happened to be in the neighborhood of not one, but three, high level heists." Detective Arnold Miller
"That is a very amazing coincidence, don't you think?" Detective John Davis
"I guess things just happened that way." Richard
"This guy is really funny." Detective John Davis
"Does he really expect us to believe that?" Detective Arnold Miller
"Yes, I think he does." Detective John Davis
"What proof do you have that I was there for any other reason?" Richard
Neither of them ever answered his question. They continued to grill him all night not getting even one straight answer. The next morning in the bull pin.
"This guy has given us nothing." Detective Arnold Miller
The Captain walked up to.
"What have you gotten from our friend in the box?" The Captain
"Nothing absolutely nothing." Detective John Davis
"Cut him loose." The Captain
"Yes sir" Detective Arnold Miller
He walked over and opened the door to the interrogation room.
"Your free to go." Detective Arnold Miller
Richard walked out and left the building.
"Have a unit sit on him." The Captain
Detective Miller picks up the phone.
"How about the next time we bring him in we get Cal Lightman to talk to him?" Detective John Davis
"Sounds good." The Captain
Then Davis calls the Lightman Group.
"Will you take the case? " Detective John Davis
"I'll ask Dr. Lightman and get back to you tomorrow." The Secretary
That night the same thief broke into a bank and stole the contents of several safe deposit boxes, making this an FBI case. The two detectives reluctantly hand the case over to the feds.