A/N So I realized as I was writing chapter 8 that it would be helpful if you were able to follow the time line and know when and what was going on. I updated chapters two and three with dates added, but not much else. I hope you guys are enjoying this. I will leave an author's note warning for sexual content when it comes, but it is coming. I hope you all enjoy my take on the Bat Family. Thanks for reading. There's definitely more to come.

Chapter 3

Two Days Later – December 6th

Entering his Gotham apartment, Dick immediately knew that something was off. His place was a sty, but that didn't mean he didn't know where everything was. He scanned the living area and kitchen for any intruders thanks to a semi-open floor plan and found no one was there. He pulled his side-arm and let his police training kick in as he swept the hallway, bathroom and master bedroom of any trespasser.

When he was certain all was clear he let his guard down just a little as he went back to the living room to pin point what had caused his unease. It didn't take long. An envelope was taped to his television screen with Nightwing written in clear cursive lettering. It was masculine, but still formal and even a tad bit fancy. He didn't know many uneducated people who could even write in cursive anymore.

He plucked the note from his television and turned it over to see how the white envelope was sealed. He was hoping for some kind of insignia or even a wax seal so that he could narrow down some suspects but to his dismay it was simply taped closed. He pulled out the letter and found the same neat and tidy cursive filling the one folded page. It read:

Not everyone can live under the weight of the Bat's pious and self-righteous ego. Particularly the citizens of Gotham City. The time has come for the innocents of this city to look to a new guardian; one that won't let them down; one that won't allow the lives of scumbags to be held above their own.

You have but three choices Nightwing and all three will have severe consequences, but alas a decision must be made.

You can join me and help me clear this city of the death-worshipping garbage that is trying to tear it apart. We can kill off the worst of the worst and I promise you the rest will fall in line.

You can stay with Batman and make me your enemy; fight me at every turn along with with racing me to see who will get to the scumbag first.

The final choice is to simply stay out of the way; to step back and let a real hero come in and protect this city and her citizens from the men and women who stop at nothing to bring them misery, despair and death.

Don't make the wrong choice, Dick, because I will end anyone who gets in my way. It's as they say; you're either with me or against me and I just don't have the time to be fighting you every night. Choose either of the last two options listed and just know that I will shoot to kill. I won't hesitate to end you if you try to prevent me from doing what I need to do.

I'll know what your answer is based on how you deal with the next bit of information I will share with you. Harvey Dent, a.k.a. Two-Face, is being held in a storage shed atop Ace Chemicals. If you leave him alone, he'll die and I'll know that you are picking option three. Save him or have Batman, Robin or any other of your 'Super' friends save him and I'll know you've picked option two. Go to him and put him out of his misery and I'll know you're ready to join me.

Keep this is in mind when you make your choice Nightwing; for everyone of these super-villains that we don't put down, they will kill at least five more people. Those five people will have done nothing to deserve this and their families will have no comfort from the idea that the monsters will escape within a few months for us to chase later. It's a circle, Dick, a circle that we perpetuate when we refuse to think of their future victims.

Don't let anyone else be a victim of Bruce Wayne's 'moral code'.

The Red Hood

Dick felt his hands shake as he read the letter. There were so many questions, specifically who was this guy and how did he know his and Bruce's identities? Still, he had to move fast, he had to think even faster. Harvey Dent was dying in a storage shed and if he didn't make a choice, the choice would be taken from him. At first, his decision was obvious. He quickly changed into his Nightwing suit and opened the vent that would allow him to grapple from his apartment to the rooftop. He had to rescue Harvey Dent and alert Batman to what he'd found.

He was approaching the grate when a gnawing feeling hit the pit of his stomach and he couldn't believe he was stalling himself. He stared at the grate just waiting to be opened. What if this Hood guy was right? No. No that was just crazy talk. He pulled the grate open and within seconds he was on top of the roof, looking out over the city.

He ran across the snow and took a reckless leap off the building before firing his grappling gun at another rooftop. He swung himself through the city, being a tad more careful with the slippery slopes since they were still covered in snow and ice. He kept himself focused on the weather, trying not to ask himself why he had yet to check in with Bruce about the letter he found.

Even as he headed for Ace chemicals he knew he was going to rescue Two-Face. It was the right thing to do. And yet, he wasn't sure it was what he wanted to do. Two-Face wasn't a petty criminal, he was a murderer and nothing the Red Hood had said about letting these masterminds loose was inaccurate. Now matter how often he, Robin or Batman chased after Two-Face, they could not say with any kind of certainty that the man wouldn't be able to kill again; nor could they promise he wouldn't escape Black Gate or Arkham Asylum.

He let the cold wind bite at his cheeks and lips as he tried to figure out what was truly right or wrong. It should have been simple, it should have been obvious, but the more he thought about the future victims as the Red Hood had instructed him to, the more he doubted his decision. What could he say to any families who lost loved ones to the mad lawyer? Sorry your son or daughter died but I can't let his death be on my conscience?

It didn't take long for him to arrive at his destination. He saw foot prints leading from the roof access door to a large storage shed; beside the foot prints was a bloody trail that made it clear The Red Hood had simply dragged his victim haphazardly to the hiding spot. He looked all around the shed to be sure that there were no booby traps and once he felt certain that everything was safe, he opened the double doors.

Harvey Dent's eyes looked up at him wearily. To Nightwing's shock, the man no longer looked so two faced. The right side, the normally unblemished side of Harvey's entire body was mutilated beyond recognition. It was as if he'd been dragged through the streets of Gotham. Flesh was hanging off his face, arm and leg; his entire body trembled violently from shock. If Dick didn't move fast, the man was going to be dead.

There was no more doubt in his heart. This was wrong, this was disgusting and horrifying. How could he have ever entertained the idea of working with such an inhumane monster? He saw no justice in what was done to Harvey over the past two days, just cruelty and torture.

Nightwing gently pressed the communication link in his ear. "Batman?" He heard a bit of static and what he was fairly certain was 'go ahead'. "Batman, I have located Two-Face on the rooftop of Ace Chemicals. He needs a medical chopper straightaway or he will be dead in minutes."

"Poor choice, Grayson." A mechanized voice responded. "Then again, I can't say I'm surprised since I knew you'd never let the Bat down."

"Is this The Red Hood?" Nightwing demanded even though he already knew the answer.

"You're so painfully predictable." The voice taunted in his ear. "You're no different than the old man. So set in your ways, so engrained to 'do what's right' that you've lost sight of what's right."

"Look, I don't know who you are or how you know so much about us, but I will not let you do this. We'll stop you and you'll spend the rest of your life behind bars."

"Do you hear yourself? Haven't you given that same fucking speech to Two-Face?" The man mocked. "Let me show you just how powerless to stop me you really are, Dick."

Nightwing's brows furrowed beneath his black domino mask as he scanned the surrounding buildings for any sign of The Hood. He saw nothing, he saw no one. Just as he took a step forward he heard the sound of a bullet tearing through flesh and the gurgling choke of Harvey Dent. The former lawyer brought up his mangled hand and tried to grab at his throat where he'd been shot. Nightwing knelt down to check the wound as a second bullet pierced the right side of Harvey's chest, barely missing the hero's hand.

"He's bleeding into his lungs now and there's nothing you can do to save him. I warned you there'd be dire consequences to making the wrong choice." The Red Hood informed him. "But don't let that pretty little head of yours worry, you'll have another opportunity to see the light."

"You son of a-" Dick tried to curse as he moved to cover Harvey's body by kneeling in front of him. He tried to compress the wound on his neck and now his chest, but it was doing little good.

"Ah-ah-ah. Language, Mr. Grayson. I'd hate for your mentor to think of less of you." The voice ridiculed. "Consider this your final warning. If I see you, the Gordons, Drake or Bruce trying to take me down, I'll add you all to my ever growing list of kills."

"Nightwing!" He heard the growl of Batman in his ear. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, B, I'm here. Did you hear any of that?" Dick asked.

"I heard it all, there's a medical chopper en-route to you now. It should be there any moment." Batman responded. "Did you get a visual?"

"No, but the trajectory indicates that it most likely came from the building across the street." Dick stated still doing his best to keep Harvey conscious. He frowned as he looked into the shed and saw yet another cardboard sign. One Less Lawyer, One Less Madman, One City Safer. TRH. The Hood had never intended to let Dick save him.

"F-fucking, masked f-reaks-" Harvey coughed and sputtered as he tried to curse the world in his final moments. He couldn't finish his sentence as he convulsed and coughed up blood all while choking before his body went limp.

"Nightwing?"

"He's gone, Batman." Dick whispered in disbelief. "He's dead."