A/N: Okay, just wanted to give people a heads up but I've been super busy with due dates and papers and projects due this week and, because of that I haven't been able to write...like at all. Therefore I'm not as far ahead as I am used to or am happy with. So, I'm gonna see how things are after all my due dates for this week pass and I actually start preparing for finals(that are literally in a little less than two weeks...ugh) I may have to go on a brief hiatus just until finals are over. I probably won't knowing me...I will crank out a few chapters(I hope) so if I am going to take a break just until finals are over I will post a 'chapter' on Monday saying that I will be holding off on posting chapters until after May 10th, so if I do stop I will be posting once more on May 17th. I don't think that will happen because I really hate doing this. Usually, I am super consistent but a lot of work has caught up with me and I'm stressing so I haven't been writing. I'll let you all know I promise!
Onto the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Enjoy!
Chapter: 7
"So you don't remember anything?" Tim asked Darren. They stood on a rooftop of a warehouse, staring down at the harbor. While Darren was still technically on probation once more, they still needed his help that night. Some Arkham inmates escaped two nights before and they needed all hands on deck to round them up,
"Um…why am I not helping Dick and Damian with Killer Croc?" Darren demanded over comms, slightly ignoring Tim's question,
"Because," Dick started over the comm unit, "The last time you two fought down in the sewers you caused a road to cave in,"
"I got him though," Darren muttered, "Much faster than you two would…you could get hurt too," And it was fun, he thought to himself. He never usually got to let go and not worry about his strength or speed and fighting bad guys like Killer Croc and Bane or Solomon Grundy were respites for constantly holding himself back,
"We've taken him before Crowne," Damian growled, "Just because you have enhanced abilities doesn't mean we can't take down a mutant crocodile. We've been doing this a lot longer than you have,"
"No names in the field," Darren muttered to Robin, a disinterested 'Tt' was his response,
"Besides, we try to avoid as much infrastructure damage as possible," Barbara stated pointedly. Darren sighed,
"I said I was sorry about that," he said shortly, looking out over the harbor once more. He and Tim were tasked with locating Scarecrow. They had reason to believe there was some shipment coming into the harbor for him. What that shipment was they don't know and when it was going down was also a mystery, they didn't have much to work with other than that tip discovered by none other than Matches Malone. Which was why they'd been staking out the harbor since the inmates escaped,
"What about Two-Face?" Darren questioned, not in the comms, but to Tim who had moved to stand next to him, both of them keeping watch over the docks,
"You were taken off of that case," Tim reminded him gently, "Stephanie and Barbara are on that," Darren nodded but sighed again,
"No, I don't remember anything like that," he replied answering Tim's earlier question,
"No deal between the Crowne's and the Court of Owls?" Tim asked, "Nothing like that at all?"
"Red. I only lived there for five years. I wouldn't understand or remember anything like Talons coming to visit my grandfather to bully him into an agreement of some kind,"
"Derek mentioned something to Livia—,"
"—Derek wouldn't know anything either. His father is with the Court, not him,"
"—That we know of," Tim reminded him, "The Owls are as generational as the Talons,"
"I know that," Darren snapped, "But Derek never had interest in the Court. Trust me I've heard him and his father arguing about it enough to know that he doesn't want to be an Owl…but that doesn't change anything. He'll become one anyway, they all do in the end." Their arguments always seemed to increase when Darren was forced to stay with them for a time. Lydia disappearing to go shopping and Erik locked up in his room playing video games to block out the sound of their shouting. Shepard was always agitated and ready to blame anyone for anything once they ended—specifically Darren—he knew to stay out of arms reach after the shouting match died down,
"You broke from tradition, and so has Calvin. Maybe it will be the same on the other end as well. The Court isn't as well conformed as it used to be," Tim said mutedly. Darren didn't say anything in reply, only stared out into the distance once more,
"Why was she even talking to Derek?" Darren grumbled, kicking at a loose bit of cement on the roof's edge,
"I…I actually don't know," Tim muttered, "She didn't say," Darren let out a small sound of irritation and crouched down on the rooftop as a truck drove by, Tim quickly following suit,
"Jealous are we?" Darren snapped is head around to glare at Tim,
"No. What would I have to be jealous about?"
"Nothing. I was just making a joke," Tim replied, raising his hands in mock surrender, "But really…you don't remember anything about a deal for the two Crowne siblings, your grandfather, and granduncle?"
"Three," Darren stated,
"What?"
"There were three Crowne brothers. Dick's grandfather, my grandfather and a third brother. Two illegitimate heirs and one legitimate. The third died at sea though, pretty young…I think. Maybe for some war? I don't remember. But I do know there were three brothers," Tim frowned, seeming to be deep in thought,
"The third died leaving only William's heirs…that's no coincidence,"
"Well it may be but I don't know anything else," Darren snapped, "So stop asking,"
"Okay Renegade…calm down," Tim said, looking slightly concerned, "Why are you getting so upset about this,"
"I—I don't really know. I guess I just don't want to think about…then…it makes me think about that night. What happened and where I was forced to go, what I was forced to become," Darren looked down at his hands, remembering when they'd been coated in blood and he hadn't even realized it. All the lives he took after he killed Asher…the things he did while being forced to learn to be an assassin by the Court. All the punishments and rules and fighting. All of it—everything—what he did and learned, at its core, for survival,
"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to force you to think about all that," Tim said after a moment of silence, "I…I just want answers so we can save both you and Livia from the Court. They won't wait forever to make their next move,"
"It's okay, I know you weren't trying to do that," Darren replied, letting out a sigh. They sat in silence, eyeing the harbor and docks. Everything was quite the same as it had been for the past four hours. Darren was getting impatient; he wanted to move…he needed to do something when suddenly their comms crackled to life,
"Red Robin and Renegade, come to my coordinates immediately," Tim and Darren shared a look before rising from their crouches,
"What about Scarecrow?" Tim questioned, "Nothing has happened at the docks yet, if we leave we might lose our chance,"
"Scarecrow just got out a day or two ago; he'll be lying low and waiting for the opportunity to enact a plan. We have time to take him down. You are needed here," With that Tim and Darren started leaping across rooftops, Tim pulling up a holographic map on his computerized gauntlet to find Bruce's coordinates. It seemed tonight was going to be more exciting than just a stakeout after all.
When they arrived on-scene, it appeared that Darren was wrong. It wasn't going to be exciting. His stomach dropped and filled with dread at the sight of the victim. They were covered in blood. Dripping with it. The man's suit in tatters, his fingerless hand grasping at a briefcase—posed as the other victims had been—while burns and bloody deep cuts crisscrossed up and down his arms. This time the victim's eyes had been gouged out, the empty sockets black and deep…void of blood,
"I can't make heads or tails of this," the Commissioner was saying, to Bruce and Dick…Darren didn't know if they managed to nab Killer Croc, but the absence of Damian made Darren worry a little bit,
"Where's Robin?" he asked Dick,
"He got a little banged up dealing with Croc, but he's fine. A is with him," Darren nodded and quickly pulled his attention back to the victim. He looked them up and down, looked at the wall behind him and the ground beneath him. The victim was in a semi-public place…an alleyway shared by an office building and a restaurant. Darren didn't recognize the man, but he seemed to be important…more so than a banker or teaching assistant would be. He'd have answers if someone were to torture him…yet, that doesn't seem to be what this was about. There seemed to be more.
Darren focused his eyes, forcing them to zero in on the smaller, less noticeable wounds. There was only one clearly visible through all the blood—one of the many sources—on his shoulder…his left shoulder. A wound forming an almost star shape from a blade twisted while still stabbed through flesh. Darren felt a shock of surprise as he absent-mindedly reached over and massaged his own shoulder, where William had stabbed him with a Serum blade. It gave him a thought…a terrible thought that made his breathing uneven and his hands shake as he moved closer to the body. The others were talking quietly behind him; he could feel Dick's careful gaze on him even as his cousin's voice joined the others in trying to make some sort of connection between the three victims, tortured in similar yet very different ways.
Darren crouched down in front of the body and pulled the tattered cloth away from the man's chest and his breath caught in his throat at the four deep, jagged slices along the ribs of the victims. Darren's own chest burned at the memory of receiving those wounds as well and he had to stumble away. His breathing uneven and panic flitting around his head,
"Renegade?" Dick asked, suddenly right behind him "Are you okay?"
"It was torture," Darren mumbled, unable to look back at his cousin, his eyes glued to the dead man before him,
"We know that," Tim stated coming over as well,
"No…it was torture I've seen before…it was my torture," Darren hissed to them, glancing at the Commissioner who stood a respectful distance away closer to Batman than to Darren and the others but probably still within hearing range. Darren wouldn't have said anything before, but he and the Commissioner had come to an understanding. He knew what Darren was, but all the same, he didn't feel really good about Gordon knowing about what happened to him to any degree. Whether the man heard or not wasn't revealed by his facial expression or his heart…it beat steadily which made Darren feel a little better,
"Are you saying the Court did this?" Dick asked, gently turning him to the face him and Red Robin. He jerked away from Dick's touch, too agitated to deal with physical contact at the moment. Darren shook his head…he didn't know…but he also knew. It was them. He was sure, but he didn't know what they wanted. Darren didn't know why these victims specifically as they didn't seem like the sort to have any information useful to the Court at all. Yet there they were with wounds that were similar to what he'd been inflicted with and different wounds all the same.
"Torture…is…uh…it's different for Talons," Darren muttered, trying not to talk too loud. He didn't want the other cops to hear him. He was speaking quietly and quickly, and he felt unsteady by the realization that all of this had been the Court. Mike's parents were dead because of him…and now this man as well. He'd been right all along…yet it also didn't feel like the Court. This was rash; this was impulsive…this was unstable…this was an individual Talon,
"What do you mean by that?" Dick asked, moving again to put a hand on his arm. Darren stepped away from his cousin's attempt at comfort and instead spun to face the body again. Looking over the victim's wounds again…making sure he was right…and then he saw it. A wound on the back of the upper arm, a similar wound carved right there that mirrored Darren's own wounds. He scrambled over and grabbed the dead man's upper arm,
"Hey! What are you—!" A policewoman shouted as Darren rolled the man over so his back could be seen. He stumbled away from the corpse at the sight of carved wings in the back of the man…exactly like his that were covered in tattoo ink right now. Whip marks decorated the back as well and all Darren could think of was the pain of the knife carving around his back and the sting of the whip as it sliced through his skin…and screaming…his screams echoing off the walls.
Darren waited for the panic to follow but there was nothing else to feel. He was drowning with near hysteria…he could hear Dick and Tim next to him. Talking to him, but couldn't make out what they were saying. They were pulling him away, he could feel his feet moving but he couldn't stop looking at the man's back…the perfect imitation of his own. There was still no panic…there was no fear or anger…to be honest…it felt to Darren that he was beyond feeling. All he felt was numb, cold blind numbness that left him reeling and stunned and unfocused,
"Talons…Talons, there are different torture methods for Talons," he found himself saying…it was all spilling out now, "humans…have—I guess—normal ones,"
"Okay, Renegade…just breathe…are, um, how are you feeling?" Dick asked him. They had pulled him away to a shadowed lip of the alleyway…a slightly less suffocated area. No loud sirens or flashing lights, the 'do not cross' tape was far away and Darren could now hear the rest of the city, the wind, the sound of cars in the distance. It was calming…it was everything Darren needed and yet, at that moment he didn't feel he needed it. Maybe he did and just didn't know it,
"One person did this," he said, "Only one," he repeated leaning back against the wall, the ground felt unsteady beneath him,
"Darren…how are you feeling?" Dick tried again, putting his hands on his shoulders,
"Only one person did this…one person is calling me out," he insisted,
"Darren…talk to us," Tim said. Darren heard it then…a voice. Nearby, they were so close and no one knew. Darren struggled against Dick's hold on him,
"Let me go. Let me go!" he growled, trying not to use his strength, he didn't want to hurt Dick in the process of getting out of his grip,
"Darren you are panicking right now. He can't let you go, not until you calm down," Tim said, "What you saw…it was startling and painful I'm sure. You might not even feel all that right now," he wasn't wrong but Darren caught movement up above. The Talon was leaping away from the scene; they were getting away. Darren struggled a bit harder,
"Dare…we do have horse tranquilizer with us…we can and will sedate you and take you back home," Darren stilled, glaring at him,
"You carry that around?" he snarled, angered that they would even consider doing that to him,
"We keep the regular stuff around for us as well…sometimes even we get worked up when dealing with criminals who have hurt us in the past," Dick replied, shrugging a little. Darren could still hear the Talon out there, dancing farther and farther away. They were calling out to him in the distance, they were getting away and they would do this again if he didn't stop them. Their voice echoed on the wind…farther and farther away. He jerked his head in that direction, eyes straining to see them off in the distance, only they were too far and high away by this point for even him to see,
"Darren…what do you hear?" Dick asked, tightening his grip on his shoulders once again as if he would run away,
"The person who did this," Darren growled. Dick and Tim shared a look,
"Who did this?"
"A Talon! You know this! I know this…I've done that before, I know that torture when I see it!" They looked surprised to hear that…they knew assassins killed but they didn't seem to understand that assassins often needed people to talk, that they sometimes required information. And Talons were trained to make people talk. And not in the way the police do or even Batman's methods…broken bones were nothing compared to what assassins were trained to do.
This was all his fault. Three people were dead because of him. Three people suffered before dying because he didn't want to see the connection. He knew what those wounds felt like, though he had poison running through his system as he was tortured. Darren needed to do something. He needed to find the Talon who did this, he needed to make them suffer for all the pain they caused others. It wouldn't even be wrong; they couldn't exactly imprison Talons,
"Let me go," he pleaded once more, struggling against Dick's hold. He didn't use his full strength, not yet. But Dick still didn't let up, so he shoved him back…flinging him across the alleyway and into the wall opposite them. Dick let out a small cry as he fell to the ground,
"Sorry," he muttered. Dick wasn't too hurt, more surprised that his cousin would use his enhanced abilities against him, "but I need to do this. I can't let them get away. They're calling me out, and people are getting hurt and killed because of me. I'm not going to let that keep happening. I can't, not when I can stop them," he told them before leaping off in the direction of the voice…that familiar voice. He was three rooftops away when he heard Bruce yell,
"Red Robin, go after him!" Darren moved faster and faster, he didn't want Tim to get hurt while he dealt with this Talon. He moved faster and faster, from rooftop to rooftop. Twisting and turning in his movements to shake Tim from his tail. Though he knew it would be a while until Red Robin actually caught up to him, Darren continued leaping from building to building, following that voice, farther and farther away from the others. Farther and farther into the darkest parts Gotham until the voice was right in front of him…they were shadowed by another building blocking the moonlight,
"I thought you would come," the voice said, "I knew you couldn't resist," it was a feminine voice, a sweet, sultry voice as the owner stepped into the moonlight,
"Sophie." Darren monotoned.
A/N: Soooo...that was a new development. Also, Sophie actually made a brief cameo before in Nobody's Weapon. I thought I left her name in but I actually took it out(I'm kinda mad about that, stupid past me) but she was still there.
Also, Wolfimus prime(love the username) thanks for your input on chapter lengths! Really appreciate it, and yes actually there is a chapter planned that is literally dedicated to Darren and Dick going off and doing fun family things. So you have that to look forward to in the future.
Hopefully I won't have to take that brief break and chapters will go up as usual!
If you have any questions, comments or concerns please PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!
Next chapter(hopefully) on Thursday!
